tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82027360469195737372024-02-06T21:54:10.813-08:00Welcome To The Mama DramaThis is my honest journey into motherhood. Its not always pretty but it is real. Join me and my drama!Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-55406104392653177422013-06-04T15:51:00.001-07:002013-06-04T15:51:21.307-07:00Callie's Camping Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here it is! The long overdue post on Callie's camping themed birthday party. It was a ton of work (partially because I put far too much of it off too late) but it came together nicely and it was a blast! </div>
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The things that took the longest to deal with were the decorations and the gift bags. Luckily this theme lends itself to pretty easy food options but more on all that later. </div>
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Decorations first, since it really sets the mood, as with any party, I suppose. Because we had just returned from a quasi-camping trip to Yosemite it was pretty easy for us to stay in the outdoorsy mood. I say quasi since we stayed in a lodge near the entrance. No tent required:) </div>
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So here is what we did. </div>
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We set up our tent in the backyard and put our air mattress in it. It quickly became the poor man's bouncy house. It was awesome! The kids all had a blast in it! </div>
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We also set up a sunshade and a kids tent we found on woot a few weeks before the party, but you can also find it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Play-Tents-Tent-Primay-No-20310/dp/B000PTRUEK/ref=pd_sim_t_3" target="_blank">here</a>. We connected a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Play-Tents-Multi-Tunnel/dp/B00009IMAS/ref=pd_sim_t_1" target="_blank">play tunnel</a> to it as well. One of the funniest things was watching Lucia manoever her way through that thing. </div>
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I also planned to fill the kids tent with balloons with glow in the dark stars attached to some and some with led lights inside when it got dark but it didn't happen. First because I just ran out of time to buy the balloons. Of course I bought the stars and the led lights so I guess I'll have to do this theme again! And second, because pretty much everyone left before it got dark. I always take it for granted that not all kids stay up as late as Callie!<br />
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We also set up <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/campfire-stand-up-a2-36_2212-12-1.fltr?Ntt=campfire" target="_blank">plastic campfires</a> (toddler friendly!)<br />
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and probably, the ultimate kid favorite, the fishing hole.<br />
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We borrowed this magnetic fishing pole and fish set from my mom but you can also find them <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lakeshore-Learning-Materials-Magnetic-Fishing/dp/B004ZAKTZC/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1369407916&sr=1-2&keywords=magnetic+fishing+game" target="_blank">here</a>. We set it up in a kiddie pool filled with water.<br />
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Also put up <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/camp-sign-cutouts-a2-3_5101-12-1.fltr?Ntt=camp" target="_blank">these trail/camping signs</a> from oriental trading. They are nice and big and look like the real thing.<br />
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I also bought some hanging mason jars with tea lights to hang in the trees but we ended up just putting them on the table. Added bonus? I found citronella tea lights! This bug food girl was very excited:)<br />
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An idea I had last minute was to put Callie and Lucia's bears out with a sign that said "Don't feed the bears: They're already stuffed." It was a hit:) A lot of people mentioned it. On a side note, it made me realize that the girls don't have that many bears! Lots of other weird stuffed animals: meerkats, jaguars, chickens, peacocks, rabbits...everything but bears! <br />
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The great thing about this theme is if you have any hiking/camping gear just put it out in your backyard and call it decorations! We put out camp lanterns, camp chairs and bedrolls. I was hoping to find a tackle box to put the "live bait" and "catch of day" in but I couldn't find one that was cheap enough to rationalize buying it for a three year old's party:)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So I did this instead</td></tr>
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My favorite decoration was the trail maps.<br />
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I found trail maps of where we have gone hiking and camping and pasted my favorite pictures of Callie from the last three years on them. Everyone loved it. It was quite amazing to see how much she has changed over the past three years! And it was quite a conversation starter:) That was one of the coolest things about this theme, it really became a conversation starter about camping with kids, where to go, what to do, how to go about doing it. I realized that there are a lot of families that want to go camping and be outdoorsy but it feels too overwhelming so they don't do it. But I really recommend doing it! It has been a great experience for our family.<br />
Anyway...where was I?<br />
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I got some great paper decorations from etsy. I bought <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/74154475/diy-printable-camping-birthday-party" target="_blank">this package</a> from a phenomenal seller (nelliev2)!! She was so incredibly helpful, fast and accomodating! I even emailed her the day of the party and she got me some signs made within an hour! We used the camping banner that said Camp Callie, napkin rings, square signs to label some of the food, favor tags and canteen labels. She doesn't seem to have the package up there now for sale but I bet if you email her and ask real nice she will help you out:) I would use her again in a heart beat!! The tough thing about finding decorations like this for this particular theme is everything is either super boyish or crazy girlie. Apparently there is a thing called "glamping". Go ahead and look it up. It certainly wasn't for my girl. <br />
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Other things that I planned to do but didn't get around to it was to have personalized bug jars for the kids and hide glow in the dark bugs around the yard and have them collect them. I was also going to use glow in the dark paint and splatter it inside mason jars for night time but again for the reasons mentioned above, it didn't happen. The biggest thing that we were going to do but didn't was to have an outdoor movie. We were going to project it on the side of the garage. We will definitely have to do this again when the kids are older and can stay awake!<br />
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The Food<br />
This was the best part of this theme! The food is super easy. Grill up some hot dogs and corn. Slice up some watermelon. Make some pasta salad the night before. Cheese and chili for the dogs if you wanna get crazy. That's pretty much it! We also did a make your own trail mix bar.<br />
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I kept trying to find little bowls or bags that people could use for that but I struck out on that one. That was probably the thing that I spent the most time on food wise, trying to figure out what to put out for the trail mix bar. There are a lot of options! We did m and ms, dried cranberries, homemade granola, dried apricots, nuts, banana chips, cheerios, white chocolate chips, sunflower seeds.<br />
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Another thing that didn't happen because of time was s'mores. I found this idea to make personal s'mores makers that we will have to try another time. You take a small terra cotta flower pot, line it with foil and put charcoal briquettes inside and voila! Your own mini s'mores maker! <br />
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The Treat Bags<br />
The goodie bags took a decent amount of work/time. The biggest item was the s'mores to go bags. It was a small cellophane bag with two marshmallows, two graham crackers and a mini hershey bar. We tied them with silver twist ties then attached the labels with multi colored yarn. I love the labels that I found on etsy. There was a little drama with that particular seller, but it seems that she just doesn't answer email very quickly. And like I said earlier, I waited too long to get some of these things done...But anyway...My father in law was a huge help to me! We put these suckers together pretty fast since a certain birthday girl really wanted to eat all the marshmallows (even if she kept calling them mushrooms!).<br />
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We put the s'mores kits and the other goodies in plain brown bags that I found at Michael's and attached the labels we got from etsy. The other items in the bags were mini flashlights, mini binoculars, camping rubber ducks, bandanas and mini canteens that said "I survived camp callie" (again from that amazing seller on etsy!) </div>
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The bags were a big hit. The different colored bandanas made it fun for the kids to choose their favorite as they were leaving. It helped to alleviate some "I don't wanna go home!" tantrums:)<br />
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So that's about it! I'm very glad to be done with kids' parties for another year! Next year we will probably do the girls' parties together cuz this mama is wiped out! And no, I have no desire to be a party planner, even though I was asked many, many times over the course of these last two parties. But thank you for the compliment!<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<span id="goog_643441795"></span><span id="goog_643441796"></span><br />Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-60979603940745787172013-06-04T15:26:00.001-07:002013-06-04T15:26:13.541-07:00Saying goodbye to nursing<br />
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Yes, this one is about boobs. If you're uncomfortable why don't you scroll down and read about Lucia's rainbow birthday party:)</div>
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I am slowly but surely weaning Lucia. This is uncharted territory for me even though I also nursed Callie for a little over a year. But in that situation I became pregnant with Lucia (oops!) and Callie decided she was done with it. I had read that sometimes the pregnancy hormones changes the taste of the milk so sometimes they lose interest. Plus, I knew I would eventually lose my milk anyway. </div>
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I am definitely struggling with this one. Lucia is a great eater and loves cow's milk so there really is no real need for her to be nursing in terms of nutritional value. Whereas with Callie I really had to work to get her to drink cow's milk. I had to mix breast milk with the cow's milk and slowly but surely she accepted it. Like I've said before, these two girls are awfully different from each other!</div>
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I will admit I enjoyed nursing Lucia, but doing all the bedtime shenanigans with two kids by myself when Bill is on business trips is not conducive to having a relaxing nursing session. In addition, I didn't want her to get too used to nursing in order to sleep. Especially since we have finally been blessed with a baby who sleeps! She is also getting to the point where she is super distracted and biting every now and then. A few weeks ago she bit me so hard I was bleeding. So I decided to stop. Especially after I realized that for the past FOUR YEARS I have either been pregnant or nursing! I think it is time to get my body back. Or at least be able to wear a real bra! You know, its the little things in life! I packed up my pump in style and prepared for an easy transition. Cue the dramatic music...</div>
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I didn't think it would be too painful since we were only nursing once a day (before bed) but oh boy...was I wrong! The pain was unbelievable! Bill was told point blank that if he even tried to touch me he would die. I was just praying to not get any plugged ducts, because there is really only one cure for that! Nursing! She didn't ask for milk for the first two days, so I thought, Ok! I am uncomfortable but at least she doesn't seem to be missing it. Then night three hit and she was pretty upset and I felt so guilty! Was I stopping for my comfort? Was I depriving her because I am lazy and just don't want to do it anymore? No. I reminded myself of all the reasons we were stopping and the fact that we nursed for 14 months! That's not too shabby especially given how many don't make it 6 months. I comforted her in other ways. I held her and we read some books and had some water and she calmed down. </div>
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An added bonus of stopping nursing, sure you may be in some pain but good lord...how do I put this? You have boobs that women pay damn good money for! I didn't completely realize it until Bill had taken some pictures of me and the girls playing in our friend's pool for a birthday party and OMG. Hello! And no, I will not be sharing those photos here or anywhere else! </div>
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One of my big concerns was working. I was due to sub a class a couple days after stopping and I was afraid I would start leaking in front of a class of APUSHers while I talked about the tensions between the US and USSR during October 1962! I didn't think to buy some breast pads but I found one left from when we first brought Lucia home. So I had to predict which side would leak. Luckily I chose correctly! Phew! </div>
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At this point it has been a week and Lucia isn't asking for milk anymore. I am still a bit uncomfortable but it is getting better. One of the funniest moments was when I went to Safeway to buy supplies for our memorial day bbq which included ice. Of course I forgot the damn ice and remembered after I had unloaded all the groceries into the trunk. Cursing my forgetfulness I went back in and picked up my 2 20 pound bags of ice. I didn't want to put them in a cart so I just carried them. And oh...the relief! A nice young man offered to help me carry them out to my car and I very politely said no thank you. But if he had insisted he would have had another thing comin! That was the best I had felt in days! Running has been a struggle but I have kept up with it for the most part. </div>
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So now I am left with some very nice memories of nursing Lucia. She was such a gentle nurser, unlike her older sister! Callie wanted to do it herself (shocker!) so it was pretty much a wrestling match for several months. But the biggest "problem" with Lucia's nursing is that she would be smiling so big that she couldn't keep suction. Saying goodbye to nursing is of course bittersweet because Lucia is most likely our last child and nursing was so important to me for both girls even though it was such a struggle at first. I am so glad we perservered and stuck with it. I know that I gave them my best and that is something I can be proud of.</div>
Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-32756825328795233952013-05-29T19:08:00.000-07:002013-05-29T19:08:00.164-07:00Callie is smarter than meYup. She is three and she totally schooled me a few weeks ago. It was one of those A HA! moments that I will hold onto for a long time. It was after her birthday party (and yes, I am still working on that post!) and we were opening presents with a few friends still hanging out, namely Tia Viv. She is very important to this story! The pictures were cycling through on our Apple Tv, which Callie loves. She loves pointing out people and relaying the stories that she remembers, most of which begin with "'member yesterday when..." even if it was a year ago. A picture of her from the hospital came up and she said "Mama that's when you were born." I was already in the middle of smiling and saying "No...Callie that's when YOU were born," when Tia Viv looked over at me astonished and I can't tell you exactly what she said but she clued me in to hey, callie is right!<br />
I basically wanted to smack myself on my head and say "DUH!' She is so right! That is when I was born. That is when my name changed and so did my world.<br />
This is a reminder to me of why as a mom you can't just push aside people that don't have kids. I explored this a bit over two years ago with <a href="http://welcometothemamadrama.blogspot.com/2011/05/can-we-still-be-friends.html" target="_blank">this post</a>. Yes, sometimes they won't understand why you can't come out as often or you will be embarrassed by Callie constantly talking about how she went pee in the potty and how proud she is that she wears panties now but they have a perspective that is outside of my own and is pretty damn smart. So well done Tia Viv. You are definitely a keeper.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-70318315593767582562013-03-29T14:22:00.001-07:002013-03-29T14:22:35.742-07:00My Big Girls and How I Wish They Would StopRecently I've been ruminating on the passage of time. Mostly because my tiny, chubby baby Lucia just had her first birthday last week. I'm still pretty much in denial. I just don't how it could've happened. I mean, hell, I feel like I was just pregnant yesterday. The other reason is that Callie seems to be aging at an alarming rate. Especially when I look at this picture.<br />
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I mean, look at that face! Look at that sassy girl! Where is my baby? She gets so annoyed when I call her my baby too. She always retorts "I'm not a baby mama. I'm a big girl! Lucia is a baby." And she is completely correct. She is a big girl. She is potty trained now (for the most part). She is communicating and repeating new words and ideas at such a fast pace it is mind boggling. Yesterday I sneezed and she said "Bless -- Gesundheit Mama." I'm pretty sure I got whiplash when I tried to look and see who said that from the backseat. Last week she walked into the living room and told Bill "This is real. This is the present." Is she some sort of pint sized existential philosopher? We are in serious trouble with my little wild child turned thinker. She has recently started taking gymnastics classes, which she loves and I find great joy in watching her experiment with new things. She is fearless, which we always knew. But she is so strong and determined with these new physical feats. She has also recently become obsessed with the idea of taking dance classes. So we start soon! </div>
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We recently went to the Monterey Aquarium </div>
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and she has now found new things to like and talk about. It used to just be the animals or exhibits that we would talk about but she loves the otters, the octopus ("We saw it breathing." I couldn't tell you how long we stayed at that tank watching the octopus' lungs fill up with air) but especially the sharks. </div>
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Lucia, since her ear tubes surgery is becoming a non stop talker. Well, she kind of always has been, but to hear her "talk" is amazing. Whatever she is saying, she is very serious about it and wants to convey something very important to us! She is already far more verbal than Callie was at her age. Callie was much more mobile and physical. They are so different from each other but they are finding places in common to enjoy. It is such a beautiful thing. Sisters. </div>
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Of course there are fights and hair pulling and scratching and pushing but there are moments of pure bliss and love. Sometimes I laugh when I think about how scared I was when I was pregnant with Lucia; that I was inflicting this person on Callie and how unfair it would be to our relationship. But it is the opposite. Our hearts just get bigger and bigger. Callie is so proud of Lucia and how good she is getting at walking. She likes to walk slowly alongside of her. </div>
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I find myself wishing my girls would just slow down for a while. I am really enjoying their personalities and vitality and excitement. It makes me so thankful that I have been able to be a stay at home mom with them. I haven't missed a thing with my girls and it is so special. Seeing Lucia take her first steps last week was amazing and to see Callie get just as excited as I was created a gorgeous moment that I will treasure forever. I know they are going to grow up and stop calling me mama and hanging on my every word and hug. And I'm sure I will lament the growth of my babies, as I am already starting to, but that just means there are new adventures around the corner! That is the curse of the mother I suppose. That they grow up just when you start enjoying them! </div>
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Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-87680701828122831542013-03-29T09:38:00.000-07:002013-03-29T11:58:59.923-07:00Valentine's Day 2013This is an incredibly belated post and hopefully I didn't forget too much!<br />
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I got awfully excited about Valentine's Day this year. It felt like the first year that Callie was really going to "get it" ! And boy did she ! Some of my favorite memories are of waking up on Valentine's Day, walking to my spot at the table and seeing heart shaped pancakes and a heart shaped box filled with goodies. It seems like such a small thing but it was an amazing feeling. I'm not even sure if my mom knew what those little holiday moments meant to me, but I'm pretty sure she does now! That feeling is what I want for my daughters. To know that I put forth the effort to start their day with something special. Anyway, here is what I did this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiVAQbm2hO0dGwYCi-lfcEL2x87GIrTwfk3Lcf-HYJFHMh3bCUoADZs9vOtLKuN5Gq_sGt6ErMGXGjbq8x69TM7XbAImoOOE7d7APziS4lBt7RJIr_y0U6erSLTEWwHJBMpzjAexRFak/s1600/IMG_7801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiVAQbm2hO0dGwYCi-lfcEL2x87GIrTwfk3Lcf-HYJFHMh3bCUoADZs9vOtLKuN5Gq_sGt6ErMGXGjbq8x69TM7XbAImoOOE7d7APziS4lBt7RJIr_y0U6erSLTEWwHJBMpzjAexRFak/s320/IMG_7801.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
I had been scouring pinterest for weeks planning events, games, food, etc for Callie until I dumbly realized she would be at school that day. So that left food for the most part. When she woke up I wished her an enthusiastic valentine's day (even though the night before had been pretty gnarly with multiple wake ups by both girls). Her smile was worth it:) Before she got up I had cut strawberries into heart shapes (not terribly hard given their original shape, and even easier with a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-417-434-Heart-Cut-Outs/dp/B00076TPIU/ref=sr_1_16?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1360947963&sr=1-16&keywords=fondant+heart+cutter" target="_blank">fondant cutter</a>) and made pancakes into hearts as well. I use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Nonstick-Heart-Pancake-Rings/dp/B0000DDVWK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1360947821&sr=1-2&keywords=norpro+heart+pancake" target="_blank">this pancake mold</a> from norpro. Word to the wise, even though it says it is nonstick, spray that sucker with pam anyway. This whole pancake is kind of a big deal for me. I can cook a great many things, even some pretty complicated things but pancakes had always foiled me. In fact, I pretty much avoided making them until Callie came along loving the damn things. So I have gotten a lot better! So, thanks kid! Plus, I have learned that Lucia freaking loves pancakes too! So I'm doomed to a life of saturday mornings glued to the griddle. There are worse things right?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aeYuVn0NBY1HoY94cdKuXn8X-kg14LbNDkG-rhgah3gC299LPNpkUB-2L_c33xwtFSX9scKh5PgwIX7VCby3PqI3bL0PGGxm4h1wEFfo0HZABPKlUyLV573nC491L0VD1NZ-KXwwmu4/s1600/IMG_7807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aeYuVn0NBY1HoY94cdKuXn8X-kg14LbNDkG-rhgah3gC299LPNpkUB-2L_c33xwtFSX9scKh5PgwIX7VCby3PqI3bL0PGGxm4h1wEFfo0HZABPKlUyLV573nC491L0VD1NZ-KXwwmu4/s320/IMG_7807.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
I also made Callie a strawberry smoothie. Very easy, a pint of strawberries, a cup of yogurt (I used greek nonfat), 1 tablespoon of honey and half a banana. It did turn out a bit thick so I might add some juice next time. I put it in a special valentine's cup I found at safeway of all places.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXJIzijS8YSIsNASO9D1GEIxluEmPtJ5Ma-oo_uQLGKnmoZxcvc78mk_AahMQrzs3IZJ870qk7-LIIwma_-5-nZLjY0Ovo1Oke_5t9qbdujzdfyFJxU9d9YUL1ps0jEV3WSDDuFzNlLo/s1600/IMG_7821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXJIzijS8YSIsNASO9D1GEIxluEmPtJ5Ma-oo_uQLGKnmoZxcvc78mk_AahMQrzs3IZJ870qk7-LIIwma_-5-nZLjY0Ovo1Oke_5t9qbdujzdfyFJxU9d9YUL1ps0jEV3WSDDuFzNlLo/s320/IMG_7821.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IIx2cmYaowuH3IonpC9T3LT_myAojq2LlnprS5lmjxiB8pIpabmuFKYWGftL2SYPVqFnvbwggl_3G9-AruLsjKec9nMgO5nZs2HbwHgSjeGzPYV-aCgep3SssQP0bT9IIQjgfp82F2A/s1600/IMG_7817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IIx2cmYaowuH3IonpC9T3LT_myAojq2LlnprS5lmjxiB8pIpabmuFKYWGftL2SYPVqFnvbwggl_3G9-AruLsjKec9nMgO5nZs2HbwHgSjeGzPYV-aCgep3SssQP0bT9IIQjgfp82F2A/s320/IMG_7817.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then it was time to take Callie to school, but first I attempted to get a picture of the girls together. It proved quite difficult as Lucia has been under the weather and wanted mama. Getting her to sit or stand next to Callie was definitely a challenge!<br />
Then Callie was off to school with her valentine goodies. The teachers had requested healthy snacks or small toys like stickers or pencils, that sort of thing. We opted for popcorn, stickers and bubbles. They assembled everyone's goodies into special bags with the names on it with hearts.<br />
I spent the rest of the day prepping for our dinner. I also picked up Callie early from school and we went for a nice hike at Rancho. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS2K6fwVr5OMlnSA0nFO6W5jpLSz5SJ8gMpTAa-WE6otIZhwDh_nn2mH78-_XB62mWju13R7Q0mKlA7cADksFfcHr65FVnnRGb-_kLn_dK3dsxjxSQfI-RTAWHs_o5wQ8HodWNnFQuEY/s1600/IMG_7865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS2K6fwVr5OMlnSA0nFO6W5jpLSz5SJ8gMpTAa-WE6otIZhwDh_nn2mH78-_XB62mWju13R7Q0mKlA7cADksFfcHr65FVnnRGb-_kLn_dK3dsxjxSQfI-RTAWHs_o5wQ8HodWNnFQuEY/s320/IMG_7865.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyzNUd-JiByf2Dcjn5vSGSerYlo3Bkclxov6ypTunTW9hzwjVDjkPe8Ati_fSF7jYugd0diOnEZJ11Vn4qDkoOdhkbQxN5R30JhCczfKaW6AkoBTj5IYPA3XhPUu8XgFi44ponFixkeo/s1600/IMG_7859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyzNUd-JiByf2Dcjn5vSGSerYlo3Bkclxov6ypTunTW9hzwjVDjkPe8Ati_fSF7jYugd0diOnEZJ11Vn4qDkoOdhkbQxN5R30JhCczfKaW6AkoBTj5IYPA3XhPUu8XgFi44ponFixkeo/s320/IMG_7859.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
The plan for dinner was <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2009/06/17/pappa-al-pomodoro/" target="_blank">tomato bread</a> soup with heart shaped grilled cheese. My heart shaped cookie cutter got quite a workout!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrBtJ0RUjuazy2LvANsI0EI5LbEbE9mHCNvqU9dIsOB5CBUdynr-8ig-rfdDdD3raUmImZi3wcIUpWzvx0zU9JqMusUDnBF5Uf6tbLr1TlKkz_9dbSswzo9V64s84Mxudu8k7xZ9x0MM/s1600/IMG_7868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrBtJ0RUjuazy2LvANsI0EI5LbEbE9mHCNvqU9dIsOB5CBUdynr-8ig-rfdDdD3raUmImZi3wcIUpWzvx0zU9JqMusUDnBF5Uf6tbLr1TlKkz_9dbSswzo9V64s84Mxudu8k7xZ9x0MM/s320/IMG_7868.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And some bubbly for mama:) </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumbA4JoLn-Wb6PTh8I7hfr12yQy8AOXyvQoz82SbFwMr2xG0beIkkq-_vP2184CvPCMvc6kjVdHdIrZCxAevxCadDJMVNCXcsfFcfJm-Dv_A5KJvTopp5mFaKYocMagickyMNhebAwnw/s1600/IMG_7866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumbA4JoLn-Wb6PTh8I7hfr12yQy8AOXyvQoz82SbFwMr2xG0beIkkq-_vP2184CvPCMvc6kjVdHdIrZCxAevxCadDJMVNCXcsfFcfJm-Dv_A5KJvTopp5mFaKYocMagickyMNhebAwnw/s320/IMG_7866.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also experimented (successfully) with an eggless mousse. I wanted eggless so that Lucia could have some too. Although she ended up filling up on grilled cheese so I guess I could have done a more traditional mousse, but oh well!<br />
But it came out beautifully! Here is my recipe<br />
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Strawberry Mascarpone Ricotta Mousse<br />
1 cup whipping cream<br />
8 ounces mascarpone<br />
16 oz ricotta cheese<br />
1 pint strawberries<br />
zest of 1 meyer lemon<br />
Whip your cream in your mixer until stiff peaks form. Put aside in another bowl. Mix ricotta, mascarpone, 1/2 cup sugar and lemon zest. Throw your strawberries in your blender and make a puree. Add to ricotta mixture. Then fold in your whipped cream. Put in your serving dish of choice. I used some martini glasses for us. Refrigerate for several hours.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyIn2CFMlAjj4Kr1BpBYGdMqlUCTVqh5TJlvjBmXEuwn292MziTvPFY1pWbCAX3deV_zjIQwhC5dbKtE7H3IePt6kg2F-bhO8QJ3-OxdZ7xQhmNrX4akUYP12waVr6x3iDNY6RNxaggg/s1600/IMG_7869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyIn2CFMlAjj4Kr1BpBYGdMqlUCTVqh5TJlvjBmXEuwn292MziTvPFY1pWbCAX3deV_zjIQwhC5dbKtE7H3IePt6kg2F-bhO8QJ3-OxdZ7xQhmNrX4akUYP12waVr6x3iDNY6RNxaggg/s320/IMG_7869.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
See? Easy! And so good. It was like strawberry cheesecake in a bowl!<br />
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I topped them with puff pastry hearts. Again, easy. Thaw some frozen puff pastry dough for an hour. Get out that heart cookie cutter again! Callie loved helping with this one. A friend sent me <a href="http://weelicious.com/2013/02/07/puff-pastry-berry-hearts/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> and thank god she did, because I was planning on something much more complicated! Actually my original idea was to put the strawberry mousse in between the layers of puff pastry hearts but the mousse recipe made so much it seemed silly! In retrospect, I might just do a bunch of hearts and put the mousse in there.<br />
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I also printed out some pdf pages for Callie to color while I got everything ready. This <a href="http://www.charlotteparent.com/articlemain.php?Valentine-s-Printable-Coloring-Sheet-4537" target="_blank">one</a> with elephants and the eiffel tower was fun but of course, <a href="http://www.nickjr.com/printables/doras-valentine-coloring-pack.jhtml" target="_blank">Dora</a> won the big prize with Callie:)Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-89144859663694752102013-03-28T15:16:00.003-07:002013-03-28T15:16:56.710-07:00Lucia's Rainbow Party<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBT5UV0G00ZPT3CQJhgji7ogSp5EthBT-nITleokwxeqeCfZpEJKUjbMGiuAvqzC4wbOJGN_pU9r8TfwCXG78Y65bGPOH9u3-sGFa0ux9uaY6o_1Nl9-m6JL5Ns7g4J4AX9g6UON4PrPM/s1600/DSC_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBT5UV0G00ZPT3CQJhgji7ogSp5EthBT-nITleokwxeqeCfZpEJKUjbMGiuAvqzC4wbOJGN_pU9r8TfwCXG78Y65bGPOH9u3-sGFa0ux9uaY6o_1Nl9-m6JL5Ns7g4J4AX9g6UON4PrPM/s320/DSC_0065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My big birthday girl</td></tr>
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We just finished up Lucia's birthday party last week. I still can't believe she is a year old! But that's another story.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4EED-gYHORuhW4epDutw1AIjRqUNiAOs8_HL-1-L92DqIqLnLDB4D-Fk74xaYGnWulA6zWoPPbfEmZj0CJzd-hJG4TZOyPVxxxd_XUV8UaLio7WvHqZ9b48wEFwf6qxBNUCxPFfeIss/s1600/DSC_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4EED-gYHORuhW4epDutw1AIjRqUNiAOs8_HL-1-L92DqIqLnLDB4D-Fk74xaYGnWulA6zWoPPbfEmZj0CJzd-hJG4TZOyPVxxxd_XUV8UaLio7WvHqZ9b48wEFwf6qxBNUCxPFfeIss/s320/DSC_0072.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Callie getting a squeeze in!<br /></td></tr>
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I decided to do a rainbow/st. patrick's day theme since her birthday was so close to St. Patrick's Day. We held the party the day before St. Paddys. I scoured that oh so dangerous place, pinterest, for months for ideas.<br />
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First, the food! I found a ton of ideas online for sugary treats but I wanted at least a few healthier options. About an hour into the party we also had tacos from our favorite taqueria. They went fast of course!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiINL2_qH6wbktM-plljtdkoUd_4jY-OoVVJrHfcvmjvKzf0TZMRPoLxdUkqiYbxGng6XbBf_SSn_LsLJJmx50kLNqeXFgCUaIbv8-aAUjgOTmRaqXDFBeqeBunRV1AqVULJkZBWRjVM/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiINL2_qH6wbktM-plljtdkoUd_4jY-OoVVJrHfcvmjvKzf0TZMRPoLxdUkqiYbxGng6XbBf_SSn_LsLJJmx50kLNqeXFgCUaIbv8-aAUjgOTmRaqXDFBeqeBunRV1AqVULJkZBWRjVM/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had popcorn in a black kettle for our pot of gold</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOmO8rMO-JEtkL3xLmnLAlkGgd-HYoinNXr-29_InwtzwXObtvulbo1_mhyphenhyphengxHo4bdKNDApo5zfdaijI7YpFsHbYJvteDSsblEAjJgKFLQ5Mzc8v37LIk3tZ2xMJns0wzhIbPAFWWrFM/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOmO8rMO-JEtkL3xLmnLAlkGgd-HYoinNXr-29_InwtzwXObtvulbo1_mhyphenhyphengxHo4bdKNDApo5zfdaijI7YpFsHbYJvteDSsblEAjJgKFLQ5Mzc8v37LIk3tZ2xMJns0wzhIbPAFWWrFM/s320/DSC_0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a rainbow of fruit with fruit dip (marshmallow cream and cream cheese)<br />This tray got demolished multiple times by the kids so I'm glad I took a picture before the party really started! We also did a tray of veggies with colorful bell peppers, tomatoes, celery and carrots. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjbiLDmu-dmzNtGafbfFH1DRc_0xft33JK5Y4fJlb_nBcChcIkUTIm3c_2BeMldBiKPmj4k6eYFDBOr86w7e_s4al0kBKuhOY6eOln8Ol6bkVAy_njFQm_j-eSglSehGNy_DQo-Lx5N8/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjbiLDmu-dmzNtGafbfFH1DRc_0xft33JK5Y4fJlb_nBcChcIkUTIm3c_2BeMldBiKPmj4k6eYFDBOr86w7e_s4al0kBKuhOY6eOln8Ol6bkVAy_njFQm_j-eSglSehGNy_DQo-Lx5N8/s320/DSC_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also had a rainbow plate that I found on sale at Pier 1 where I put a collection of dried fruit (lots of nice colors!). I found a rainbow of licorice from Sprouts, and jelly beans from Costco. We had pita chips and hummus. And of course a rainbow feather boa for decor!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDYLa36OHcjuHXXrcxQpOuAzG64jqP7FjqapDQK2DpTqNjc15NYm-M76H3sc8xWFYWdQqgcbOpAGZGgTHaG9ycQDsem36iv511YBIYhxE2pTffR_jpKN8vIWHDrPw9uSNzxHJGxc2HDU/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDYLa36OHcjuHXXrcxQpOuAzG64jqP7FjqapDQK2DpTqNjc15NYm-M76H3sc8xWFYWdQqgcbOpAGZGgTHaG9ycQDsem36iv511YBIYhxE2pTffR_jpKN8vIWHDrPw9uSNzxHJGxc2HDU/s320/DSC_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found some solid colored melamine bowls at Costco that were perfect! </td></tr>
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Then of course there were the cupcakes!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMx8UL4tzxQ2CxylGOl6kc46gD6V2RN81zZ27PKz1ql3pL_DvdfEmokvc9QvCmo63sBDVMETWc3zFMzv-hvTvB01fr5KaPG6PxwyWfhZoy3oKrQLBHnV_B8jRM6Gl-KLTdjsLQKPjhuI/s1600/DSC_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMx8UL4tzxQ2CxylGOl6kc46gD6V2RN81zZ27PKz1ql3pL_DvdfEmokvc9QvCmo63sBDVMETWc3zFMzv-hvTvB01fr5KaPG6PxwyWfhZoy3oKrQLBHnV_B8jRM6Gl-KLTdjsLQKPjhuI/s320/DSC_0080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie trying so hard to be good! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSecjorqsw9ykY_CJn3W1ksYSERCOmz67UpQYyF6IxhxypYtC92HWG2JkjuRdndudp1tAvzqMYTQGR2cqufEiJ7mCWd5doAIsAT54otFj4s4S52lhIzi9UATosjccNCrJMkHEW_1Nbho/s1600/DSC_0088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSecjorqsw9ykY_CJn3W1ksYSERCOmz67UpQYyF6IxhxypYtC92HWG2JkjuRdndudp1tAvzqMYTQGR2cqufEiJ7mCWd5doAIsAT54otFj4s4S52lhIzi9UATosjccNCrJMkHEW_1Nbho/s320/DSC_0088.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm ready mama! Cupcake me!<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisa0YWETdjoeoCS6wCDyEPtX8EfdBJznqhIo-mXaCRCJCjJR4m7QPcUrRiXzs_RutrrYzsvf7-gnhvw0VcwA2LgthK8iTBAn3Hz4LfBtAhpTZB1NaZFy_vdTur94xq-Z5F9wSH4SPd5IE/s1600/DSC_0093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisa0YWETdjoeoCS6wCDyEPtX8EfdBJznqhIo-mXaCRCJCjJR4m7QPcUrRiXzs_RutrrYzsvf7-gnhvw0VcwA2LgthK8iTBAn3Hz4LfBtAhpTZB1NaZFy_vdTur94xq-Z5F9wSH4SPd5IE/s320/DSC_0093.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yVXlQhC8urc24hGixlQNUxZOHyZoHBYFN4CgSYPyN6Slt2y33TMDS3fm_ixaujBSDdagSoU7KaipGgYjf_u94DzAg4DEZOQyLy4CKaKw64kEuxHG5MOCZuA5zHbWmA5Os1HPgDOVLaw/s1600/DSC_0102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yVXlQhC8urc24hGixlQNUxZOHyZoHBYFN4CgSYPyN6Slt2y33TMDS3fm_ixaujBSDdagSoU7KaipGgYjf_u94DzAg4DEZOQyLy4CKaKw64kEuxHG5MOCZuA5zHbWmA5Os1HPgDOVLaw/s320/DSC_0102.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie showing us how big girls eat cupcakes: just eat the frosting! </td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYZGn2CDMF2fV8HEfmm2VmPPBdKzHvcNYR7AKaTxcxESNne83an-82_FFzBb1M8cECoGT4IaGZk0RoDZN6bttrtTZP0ynGdXWVTb9a5RSumsgOXUOGk0-77J1x8ars4w033KWMoQ5F08/s1600/DSC_0095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYZGn2CDMF2fV8HEfmm2VmPPBdKzHvcNYR7AKaTxcxESNne83an-82_FFzBb1M8cECoGT4IaGZk0RoDZN6bttrtTZP0ynGdXWVTb9a5RSumsgOXUOGk0-77J1x8ars4w033KWMoQ5F08/s320/DSC_0095.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The top of the cupcake was covered in gorgeous glitter! They were amazing! Seriously, if you need cakes, cupcakes or donuts check out Kathleen DeManti's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aSpoonfulOfSugarCakes" target="_blank">FB page</a>. She did our wedding cake too! She creates the most beautiful goodies!!<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqqLw4P6hz-0KnRr4nXTe1sE5ygWFUnfxEsXHl_VwMYm1NqMPUH0llQXvaPnks8Df8nH3lR8P0vNW1KYiRc6VKYMC7cZIr28M0W7JvaYHPZZQExRTE8IQheaUv1h0vLkd9XELpcYzI3Q/s1600/DSC_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqqLw4P6hz-0KnRr4nXTe1sE5ygWFUnfxEsXHl_VwMYm1NqMPUH0llQXvaPnks8Df8nH3lR8P0vNW1KYiRc6VKYMC7cZIr28M0W7JvaYHPZZQExRTE8IQheaUv1h0vLkd9XELpcYzI3Q/s320/DSC_0099.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TUINHhIkmKmciC_jbHKQFb_fpfYXsJPlM4s0_E0WwVNTCG-iIz5vycLVbe03rj0docricD3sNPHQGBlSSwx0ZJEz8Uy0aEcNr1yE3LbDK-R6HbalN4Vy8UzpDCaMEmjCo8CWghEN71w/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TUINHhIkmKmciC_jbHKQFb_fpfYXsJPlM4s0_E0WwVNTCG-iIz5vycLVbe03rj0docricD3sNPHQGBlSSwx0ZJEz8Uy0aEcNr1yE3LbDK-R6HbalN4Vy8UzpDCaMEmjCo8CWghEN71w/s320/DSC_0111.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><u><b>The Outfits:)</b></u><br />I found Lucia's tutu and onesie on etsy in a shop called <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/115762704" target="_blank">Chic Somethings</a>. The tutu was nice and full. The <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/113152622" target="_blank">onesie</a> came with another tutu that we bought for the invitation picture from a shop called TickleMyTutu. She makes incredible tutu sets. But be warned, if you are going to order from her make sure you have lots of time! Her lead time was 4 weeks but I would definitely order from her again. Great stuff.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DoQDiher2Ji49AGBNjaEM-TUszLR6FkT-o7qhHBVV1GSS0SRG2UpBtbhM8MLCypl2OJkXN0xP-uqoSdievEmwfbzeihooBolrub90TjgE32GfjVkw3mMtqznftV2JhkAlcldb3qcD7c/s1600/DSC_0175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DoQDiher2Ji49AGBNjaEM-TUszLR6FkT-o7qhHBVV1GSS0SRG2UpBtbhM8MLCypl2OJkXN0xP-uqoSdievEmwfbzeihooBolrub90TjgE32GfjVkw3mMtqznftV2JhkAlcldb3qcD7c/s320/DSC_0175.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Lucia gets a little help from the Grandmas to model her new outfit!<br /></td></tr>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j2qAfViDo-Ap43TlWiORUTOjXHNKNovtm0zWtp9a8qm3isz_2m7TpwbejeaxHt6sUP5lMbhXmtbTc_KNkQZC6nD9clY9t1Z4IMW7neD9QHWbRvbVeBpJ6lHRQPRTdLiWU1_jkPMRbTE/s1600/DSC_0033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j2qAfViDo-Ap43TlWiORUTOjXHNKNovtm0zWtp9a8qm3isz_2m7TpwbejeaxHt6sUP5lMbhXmtbTc_KNkQZC6nD9clY9t1Z4IMW7neD9QHWbRvbVeBpJ6lHRQPRTdLiWU1_jkPMRbTE/s320/DSC_0033.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHzRvBKURpisbs0BhwIPBRmXhnoBxPiTwU-JHjrrs3QoxjbXUl-hfRGKw4GS-c1zPfDnSbjYXYduU79Uf1_o5fDZ2O6UQcRMBILbS5x-0IN9cdaKdb3-PvQckCbJllcnpIcFO-683Pw0/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHzRvBKURpisbs0BhwIPBRmXhnoBxPiTwU-JHjrrs3QoxjbXUl-hfRGKw4GS-c1zPfDnSbjYXYduU79Uf1_o5fDZ2O6UQcRMBILbS5x-0IN9cdaKdb3-PvQckCbJllcnpIcFO-683Pw0/s320/DSC_0051.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br /><br />Callie's sparkle rainbow shirt is from an <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/118150991" target="_blank">etsy shop</a> called Spunky Sparkles. It was $20 and Callie was SOO excited about it! Her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/118150903" target="_blank">St. Patrick's skirt</a> was $12.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW6MbWLA4hF4agJfT2_uHFsIscS2pkle1MKBU7qVankNeLWIfiX4zZiH_oZhAsceUlxYOeAOW3jgFEwYgF_T308p8FHqqlPotqmUuhSOLqYq3RihrlO2jom6IUl16D-kzgh-_2JQKVFU/s1600/DSC_0058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW6MbWLA4hF4agJfT2_uHFsIscS2pkle1MKBU7qVankNeLWIfiX4zZiH_oZhAsceUlxYOeAOW3jgFEwYgF_T308p8FHqqlPotqmUuhSOLqYq3RihrlO2jom6IUl16D-kzgh-_2JQKVFU/s320/DSC_0058.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a></span></td></tr>
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<u><b>Decorations</b></u></div>
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I found a lot of rainbow decorations on Oriental Trading Company's website as well as at Party City. The great thing about doing it close to St. Patrick's Day is that not everything had to be rainbow. I found some inflatable balls and other decorations. I used <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/black-candy-kettles-a2-25_715.fltr?prodCatId=551709&tabId=6" target="_blank">black kettles</a> with gold candies for centerpieces. The rainbow <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/multicolor-flower-garland-a2-3_132-12-1.fltr?Ntt=rainbow" target="_blank">floral garland</a> was one of my favorite pieces. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4icBZFK0Ihwh1IDlpPIQNexaZHrtHwPpbFcyRNSmmRhP9hRAFQktGw35wSmqf7TOtZjqDl-7WzC1C8h9rGFJVAa8VRsscbEkKORSCdd9DXoc_ql57_opA7VLaq_RSGUF-QNah8WWUxI/s1600/DSC_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4icBZFK0Ihwh1IDlpPIQNexaZHrtHwPpbFcyRNSmmRhP9hRAFQktGw35wSmqf7TOtZjqDl-7WzC1C8h9rGFJVAa8VRsscbEkKORSCdd9DXoc_ql57_opA7VLaq_RSGUF-QNah8WWUxI/s320/DSC_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We also did a lot of balloons! A cool trick I found on pinterest was to tie the strings around a golf tee and stick them in the ground. It looked very cool! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UaJ6S50Ds2mAEjubz7DlAEjv66-dFHy9a_eWltdESXLFCEARIN1KxyV4J6Noe_biFkU47DgF9c2hnyNk3YvofUWL3sjb3YQl5dOoiv8BudyPCmV4l12TSEliM7HDkdgJ-G-Iu5r7M4s/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UaJ6S50Ds2mAEjubz7DlAEjv66-dFHy9a_eWltdESXLFCEARIN1KxyV4J6Noe_biFkU47DgF9c2hnyNk3YvofUWL3sjb3YQl5dOoiv8BudyPCmV4l12TSEliM7HDkdgJ-G-Iu5r7M4s/s320/DSC_0017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the tables we did a bunch of solid tablecloths with beads, <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=processProductsCatalog&categoryId=377320&sku=33/409&BP=10879&ms=search&source=google&cm_mmc=google-_-PLA2-_-33/409-_-productads-sku%5E33%2F409-adtype%5Epla-adid%5E16304791568&ci_sku=33/409&ci_src=17588969&ci_kw=&gclid=CM3IrLOsoLYCFc5xQgod8Q0AOg&kwid=productads-sku%5E33%2F409-adtype%5Epla-adid%5E16304791568" target="_blank">mini hats</a> and gold chocolate coins. The mini hats were a little bit of a let down, they were adult sized not kids sized, but I just tied a loop in it and they fit ok. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjee8DOikLdgA_0rXM2uFGmkJ9d3lB8ZxgbCQ3UvFCsKXpl2aCoCjNDrr9Ep_7LRVcYdjbEwIUYZuf1id9sXFZH15Z0qSXpbSoeKGoVt3-6o6d2QqimHM1Q4tHQ-cWnFB9KrGZ9Lf3P9FU/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjee8DOikLdgA_0rXM2uFGmkJ9d3lB8ZxgbCQ3UvFCsKXpl2aCoCjNDrr9Ep_7LRVcYdjbEwIUYZuf1id9sXFZH15Z0qSXpbSoeKGoVt3-6o6d2QqimHM1Q4tHQ-cWnFB9KrGZ9Lf3P9FU/s320/DSC_0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><b>Activities</b></u></div>
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We had lots of active possibilities for all of the toddlers at the party, so we had our slide</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZWXhJQIhSp9anNfT9dQ69qPLvkRS5lZw6WYOvQp3GF33A2SHujtGgaOSShwdqmcbl91JnY1hAqML2c0WIV-GZmJJLGJvUyAnqyXUpR-aOnvmwZ6Rw8v1lR4jy193eXuECbhyphenhyphenf467tek/s1600/DSC_0177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZWXhJQIhSp9anNfT9dQ69qPLvkRS5lZw6WYOvQp3GF33A2SHujtGgaOSShwdqmcbl91JnY1hAqML2c0WIV-GZmJJLGJvUyAnqyXUpR-aOnvmwZ6Rw8v1lR4jy193eXuECbhyphenhyphenf467tek/s320/DSC_0177.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course the trampoline was a hit as always...</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3gTbVFYJ9jXtsBOqfzTYpM4jDLv8Ps7PTMlVoJjlVBCnGS3WDWSwVPn0hrATSdYlSBbUYeTZPe81KNqzwxoYpSJquDSZL4P8OeTrFZN8GTiZC-kMVUdDUuOug2Nnk9vqrzDUOXD7qgA/s1600/DSC_0059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3gTbVFYJ9jXtsBOqfzTYpM4jDLv8Ps7PTMlVoJjlVBCnGS3WDWSwVPn0hrATSdYlSBbUYeTZPe81KNqzwxoYpSJquDSZL4P8OeTrFZN8GTiZC-kMVUdDUuOug2Nnk9vqrzDUOXD7qgA/s320/DSC_0059.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007YDC0E/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">a rainbow tunnel</a>, </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNm48PW0qk0NaQZGyz_rh9dN40EuwR56wI_Z9F8NF16ykfbOIqpJG11SDxKAs3tUhZBdPCgdwF1AT1lGCNmslO3PAtqcchcVi7Ic7YZxrqFwZ8GeDaYfTUm8vJ8e5xdqDdC_RsVLKuKY/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNm48PW0qk0NaQZGyz_rh9dN40EuwR56wI_Z9F8NF16ykfbOIqpJG11SDxKAs3tUhZBdPCgdwF1AT1lGCNmslO3PAtqcchcVi7Ic7YZxrqFwZ8GeDaYfTUm8vJ8e5xdqDdC_RsVLKuKY/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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a craft table and a pinata. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jo1-XfxW8bFNBN8y86BjIcYvJiJVMsWusCPFl8WWH9z8hs9hxXKAT_CY1UJLG9q9UnYGzDoBPVsQxHlOqKPhCln3GFTahGMDZdy9vyNYJcdS1LWwPnbonz_zGDG8H3URx9ykXYw_rZk/s1600/DSC_0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jo1-XfxW8bFNBN8y86BjIcYvJiJVMsWusCPFl8WWH9z8hs9hxXKAT_CY1UJLG9q9UnYGzDoBPVsQxHlOqKPhCln3GFTahGMDZdy9vyNYJcdS1LWwPnbonz_zGDG8H3URx9ykXYw_rZk/s320/DSC_0019.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pinata was ridiculously huge. Thank god we had a bigger kid come to the party or it would've taken all day for the 3 year olds to pop it open! I filled it with bouncy balls, beads and other toys.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIs1xKXsef4X8srSZDTpC9D5XZ9z4FI-mhLor8ck5cb9uWwT_D_qb69uQ9Xtek5Wfc4-aGN0BSAf8F4PNBP2ARlEiNZIwKRiGbSd9VmRORJMvwNTCmirY37b3B0QyGlNB9sXdm89muvk/s1600/DSC_0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIs1xKXsef4X8srSZDTpC9D5XZ9z4FI-mhLor8ck5cb9uWwT_D_qb69uQ9Xtek5Wfc4-aGN0BSAf8F4PNBP2ARlEiNZIwKRiGbSd9VmRORJMvwNTCmirY37b3B0QyGlNB9sXdm89muvk/s320/DSC_0134.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After what seemed an eternity, it was open! </td></tr>
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We also had a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IURU/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">parachute</a>, </div>
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multi colored <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007CEK53E/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">cones</a> from Melissa and Doug (which were ridiculously popular! Who knew?) and twister. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlLxCxUxRsAb4Cbpv3QAk9w_L5wgcXsnyBz7tfk-OW72weZQkFAk0QtrDpdp9TbJ_3Y_qrdsv6VPaUE7Gl8WH-mhm4W_LnfIOs7rNEqCXa-MQ-0EAfVU0n_eM_ERrG3dNtRuGRvLRcmg/s1600/DSC_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlLxCxUxRsAb4Cbpv3QAk9w_L5wgcXsnyBz7tfk-OW72weZQkFAk0QtrDpdp9TbJ_3Y_qrdsv6VPaUE7Gl8WH-mhm4W_LnfIOs7rNEqCXa-MQ-0EAfVU0n_eM_ERrG3dNtRuGRvLRcmg/s320/DSC_0018.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one really played twister, but it sure looked good! Maybe next year:) </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping lots of outdoor bikes and toys was helpful to keep all the kids entertained</td></tr>
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For our craft the kids made rainbow crowns. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big sister Callie and her friend took it very seriously! </td></tr>
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They had a blast! Before the party we cut out the center of plain white paper plates. The kids used small glue sticks and attached tissue paper to the crown. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlaVMFJlXcj_ZeUO6BiWxRhYDD2yOu_GPB0WSaw-Zr0IQw-gnyaBrOaIaDYmcI8c7pCbGn678zXYhLJc5AAs6EaESZzsEsDxrZRQ1Y3ygd_8lhHiuR1j47JM7dqrlhzCXZ4JM9QVpeHg/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlaVMFJlXcj_ZeUO6BiWxRhYDD2yOu_GPB0WSaw-Zr0IQw-gnyaBrOaIaDYmcI8c7pCbGn678zXYhLJc5AAs6EaESZzsEsDxrZRQ1Y3ygd_8lhHiuR1j47JM7dqrlhzCXZ4JM9QVpeHg/s320/DSC_0012.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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They were so colorful and some kids made more than one! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRaxxg8i2GUn7JTy5EQjdc1FEIXCXe2gUvGv00b90Tj1Kneo6R68NO2mvpOGkG9GALAI7ZWFYuYZ4AYFHF1sNkEthuYWNrP-dkdrUXSOTQOxv3PscNQE9JdpG4LoRo3B2hAQSUAUtWfo/s1600/DSC_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRaxxg8i2GUn7JTy5EQjdc1FEIXCXe2gUvGv00b90Tj1Kneo6R68NO2mvpOGkG9GALAI7ZWFYuYZ4AYFHF1sNkEthuYWNrP-dkdrUXSOTQOxv3PscNQE9JdpG4LoRo3B2hAQSUAUtWfo/s320/DSC_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie showing off her crown. Excuse the blood coming out of her nose, but that's Callie! Smacked her face into the bar on the trampoline!<br /><br />I kept some fun items for the kids to play with like this hat and glasses. Found them in the dollar bin at Target. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></td></tr>
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There were other things I had planned to do but they just didn't happen. I bought a white tablecloth and I was going to have the kids do potato stamping. Also planned to set up a photo background with St. patricks and/or rainbow fabric. But all in all, it was a huge success! The kids all had fun and so did the mamas and papas! </div>
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<u><b>Last but certainly not least...The Treat Bags</b></u></div>
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I had a blast ordering goodies from Oriental and Party City for the bags. There were<a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/star-shaped-clappers-a2-70_3807-12-1.fltr?Ntt=clappers" target="_blank"> clappers</a>, rainbow <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/rainbow-sunglasses-a2-83_23-12-1.fltr?Ntt=rainbow" target="_blank">sunglasses</a>, head boppers, <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/st-patricks-day-activity-books-with-crayons-a2-33_312-11-0.fltr?xsaleSku=33/313" target="_blank">St. Patrick's activity/crayon packs</a>, <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/bead-necklaces-with-shamrocks-a2-33_108.fltr?prodCatId=388581&tabId=5" target="_blank">beaded necklaces</a> with shamrocks (these also made great pinata filler). I put everything into <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/tie-dyed-tote-bags-a2-14_123-12-1.fltr?Ntt=rainbow" target="_blank">tie dye bags</a>. And what's more amazing? I actually remembered to pass them out this time!! Unfortunately I did not remember to take a picture of them, but they were super cute! </div>
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So there you have it. Our rainbow party in its entirety! </div>
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Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-24994808684333076492013-01-10T00:02:00.000-08:002013-01-10T00:02:49.946-08:00Grandpa BuntLast week we said goodbye to Bill's grandfather, <a href="http://obit.cusimanocolonial.com/obitdisplay.html?task=Print&id=1158466&listing=Current" target="_blank">Ray Bunt</a>. He was an absolute one of a kind. I wanted to try to put into words what he meant to me. I am not the type of person that can get up and speak at a funeral, especially while I will be trying to keep two kids under 3 relatively quiet!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH-Lk5cmvJhVNWV4BQfanPbmuH-ZiY6gBev4XT1j29vKywtsdhCh6l5_TNTF3a7CiOLdfvwXf_R5RSbmxTxEBki6g_xADUf66xsz1odVeW2rSortgpNsIXKYyCEG8Se3TySoelc80NZo/s1600/IMG_1221.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH-Lk5cmvJhVNWV4BQfanPbmuH-ZiY6gBev4XT1j29vKywtsdhCh6l5_TNTF3a7CiOLdfvwXf_R5RSbmxTxEBki6g_xADUf66xsz1odVeW2rSortgpNsIXKYyCEG8Se3TySoelc80NZo/s640/IMG_1221.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love and hugs were Grandpa's specialty! </td></tr>
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Grandma and Grandpa Bunt (Ray and Ann) were the first members of Bill's family that I ever met. His parents lived (and still do) in southern california so I didn't meet them until several months later. I, of course, was a nervous wreck. But I didn't need to be. They were the most open, loving and genuine people I have ever met. It was St. Patrick's Day and poor Bill, who was a vegetarian at the time, ended up cutting the corned beef! There were endless offers of beer (that means Budweiser), wine and of course, Coffee Keokis. It was a lovely evening and I felt at ease. I felt like I belonged. There was no judgement. There were no feelings like I was being sized up. There was just fun and great food.<br />
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Then came my first Christmas at the Bunts. Christmas is an EVENT at the Bunt house. They had a big ranch style house that was jam packed with people. Family, friends, doctors, dentists, former co-workers, neighbors, and every type of person in between. To say I was overwhelmed would be a great understatement. I will never forget how Grandpa Bunt introduced me. He said "Everybody! Hey everybody! Listen up! This is Maria, Bill's ladyfriend. Maria, this is...this is..well, everybody!" Every christmas the train would be set up and he would dress up as Santa Claus for the kids. And for the adults too, I learned. All the ladies would get a turn on Santa's lap. It was not something I wanted to do, I think it was my second Bunt Christmas and I was still getting my bearings and getting to know the family. When it was my turn, I decided Bill was going to squirm too so I told Santa what I wanted. An engagement ring. Mission accomplished. Grandpa and several family members talked about that for years! It was even brought up at our wedding:) Grandpa Bunt got so much joy out of Christmas. I don't think I will ever not connect the ideas of that holiday with anyone else.<br />
He loved having people over to his house; not just for holidays, but anytime. He was so proud of his home and his family. His family was everything to him. It was from him that I learned just how important it is. And more importantly that family isn't necessarily just the people you are related to. Because sometimes those people are absent for whatever reason and family is what you make it. My family has always been welcome to mix with his and that is a great gift. <br />
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Ray was the life of the party. He loved talking to anyone and everyone. He just really enjoyed hearing other people's experiences and trying to make sense of them. One of my all time favorite pictures from our wedding was a picture of him filling up one of my bridesmaid's champagne glass. It is Ray to a t. He always made sure people were having a good time; that they had enough to drink and eat. You weren't about to have a bad time if he was around anyway! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5a3Eo6DrzuwlHAms8ywmNZfCMAMuSh1VRGv4TO436uvJJjfikCLBhVa9p2_puXCwgkz1e8ugvWo7WBCnrD4w1-z975ArBo48juPfUKeojxio3FjOLl24mKHB53kcmrQ7E-6mc32Q3EY/s1600/87.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5a3Eo6DrzuwlHAms8ywmNZfCMAMuSh1VRGv4TO436uvJJjfikCLBhVa9p2_puXCwgkz1e8ugvWo7WBCnrD4w1-z975ArBo48juPfUKeojxio3FjOLl24mKHB53kcmrQ7E-6mc32Q3EY/s640/87.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now that is a family photo! </td></tr>
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Being a history buff, I loved all his stories about the Great Depression and his experiences in World War II. I mean who couldn't love a guy that had met Eleanor Roosevelt on his submarine in his boxer shorts because the captain wasn't going to let them take shoreleave? He was a member of the crew of the USS Sailfish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgj3Rwifr4Ky5D6hDQuWnn9E8uz8LV1wWmQq2bFGsbTrcdhW0-oNoAlPwm2qGRPF42YajpnT9szGUs-SiDU_UPFk1BUYmswqV1qeajDIqDjsVtSIxm3KKXJMRuxKmVfubVb0IGf7xV1s/s1600/sailfish2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgj3Rwifr4Ky5D6hDQuWnn9E8uz8LV1wWmQq2bFGsbTrcdhW0-oNoAlPwm2qGRPF42YajpnT9szGUs-SiDU_UPFk1BUYmswqV1qeajDIqDjsVtSIxm3KKXJMRuxKmVfubVb0IGf7xV1s/s640/sailfish2.jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's him with the turtle shell</td></tr>
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Seriously, look them up. They were involved with some crazy stuff during the war. He was proud of so many things, being a life guard, being in the war, working for John Hancock Insurance back east, his role in helping labor movements, helping political campaigns...the list goes on and on.<br />
But if I was to choose one thing that he was most proud of, it was Ann.<br />
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His wife.<br />
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They knew each other so briefly before they got married, only a few months. But you would never know it. If there was ever a couple that was made for each other from the get go, it was these two. Ray was always the one with the crazy stories, Ann would reign him in and correct his numbers or places or times but always with a smile. They had the most amazing love, one that we can all aspire to. When we were going through Grandpa's things I found some letters that he had written to her in the weeks leading up to their wedding.<br />
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They were so sweet and so Ray. It was clear, even then how proud he was to be with her. <br />
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I will miss Grandpa pulling out the old photos and sharing stories, asking me about my work as a teacher, trying to figure out why I didn't make more money, giving big hugs and kisses to my girls. I feel so blessed that I was a part of his family and continue to be. He opened his arms and his family to me and for that I can never repay him except to make sure that one day I do the same for someone who loves my daughters.<br />
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Rest Ray. Your family is strong, loved and we are together because of you. Thank you Grandpa. Please give Grandma a great, big kiss for me and the girls. <br />
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Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-3723148049760272422012-11-30T15:38:00.001-08:002012-11-30T15:38:29.405-08:00"We're women, honey, the strength finds us""Where do you find the strength? We're women, honey, the strength finds us."<br />
Wise words come from strange places sometimes. This one was from an episode of what I'm sure Bill would call a ridiculously overdramatic hospital soap, Private Practice. And he probably wouldn't be wrong, but nonetheless when I heard the quote in the episode, I leapt over a pile of toys and stuffed animals (being careful to avoid the deadly legos) to write it down in my phone. It was one of those quotes that you hear and you go "Gawd! Amazing. So true."<br />
I'm not saying men aren't strong, but the female brand of strength is different. Maybe because we take it for granted. A text conversation that I had recently had sprung to mind. We have been dealing with a chronic ear infection with Lucia on and off for the past two months. We have tried 4 different antibiotics, including injections when both ears became infected and she started vomitting. Yesterday she stopped eating after having a good couple of days, so I had assumed she was on the mend. But when she stopped eating and napping we headed back to the doctor who gave us one last antibiotic to try and a list of Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors because we can't keep pumping her full of different antibiotics. I was still hopeful but worried as well. That night, the strongest woman I know, said "I can't imagine what you're going through." I was taken aback because I realized I hadn't even thought about it. And that's what we do, as women and especially as mothers. Is it biological, the way we just react? We do what needs to be done without thinking about it rationally. We get up 4 times a night (or more!) to feed and soothe. We nurse. We bleed. We birth. We get covered in all sorts of bodily fluids that in no way belong to us. We forgo showers. We are way too good at sweeping our fingers down our kids' throats to get whatever strange item they have decided to injest. We jump when they cry. We sacrafice without thinking about it. I thought about the night we took callie to the ER. In that moment I would have done anything to keep her from bleeding. To keep her from fear. And maybe that's where the real strength is. To adapt when everything goes sideways. So I think that quote is true. When the situation arises, the strength does indeed find us even if we never even considered it before.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-18789015850560092512012-10-24T11:02:00.001-07:002012-10-24T11:02:24.408-07:00The Mama Drama Reading Round Up: Halloween EditionIt is my favorite time of year! Halloween! And this year it meant stumbling into Hicklebees and dropping a serious dime on books for Callie. So here are some choice picks for your little pumpkin.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-House-Kazuno-Kohara/dp/0312608861/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351099511&sr=1-1&keywords=ghosts+in+the+house" target="_blank">Ghosts in The House</a> by Kazuno Kohara<br />
A very cool book with unique illustrations. The use of orange and white has a lot of contrast so it would be good for itty bitty ones too, not just toddlers. It follows a little girl and her cat who enter a haunted house until you discover she is a witch and she knows exactly what to do with ghosts. She cleans them and turns them into useful items like tablecloths and blankets:)<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Room-Broom-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142501123/ref=lh_ni_t" target="_blank">Room on the Broom</a> by Julia Donaldson<br />
Great illlustrations, fun rhyme. And a good message of cooperation and how to help your friends.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Lady-Afraid-Anything/dp/0064431835/ref=pd_sim_b_4" target="_blank">The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything</a> by Linda Williams<br />
This is one of my favorites!! Callie received this one from her Grandma Tere last year and we love it! This is a wonderful read aloud book about a little old lady who finds some creative uses for items that are chasing her on a spooky night.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whos-There-Halloween-Susan-Hagen/dp/0843105100/ref=pd_sim_b_24" target="_blank">Who's There on Halloween </a>by Susan Nipp<br />
This is a great board book. Callie loves this book all year long, especially now that she can label all the characters, owl, spider, ghost, witch etc.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Nelson-Missing-Book-Along/dp/0618852816/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351100767&sr=1-1&keywords=miss+nelson+is+missing" target="_blank">Miss Nelson is Missing</a> by Harry Allard<br />
This one is probably better for a little bit older kids but it definitely has a good halloween feel to it when misbehaving students get a new teacher who is a witch:)<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bedtime-Boo-Mickie-Matheis/dp/0375869913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351101018&sr=1-1&keywords=bedtime+for+boo" target="_blank">Bedtime for Boo</a> by Mickie Matheis<br />
This is a great bedtime book, maybe the perfect choice after a night of trick or treating with your own little boo. It is all about a mother getting her little ghost to fall asleep even though he is wide awake after a night of haunting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-Minute-Trickster-Counting-Illustrator/dp/0811837580/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351101236&sr=1-2&keywords=just+a+minute" target="_blank">Just a Minute</a> by Yuyi Morales<br />
This is the only book out of the bunch that I wasn't 100% on, but I am so glad I bought it! It has become Callie's favorite by far. The reason I had a little trepidation was because the story is basically about death coming to take Grandma Beetle to the afterlife, but I thought to myself "Is Callie going to get that? Mmm. Probably not. I'll give it a whirl." And she really doesn't, I think only a much older child would grasp that. It has some of the most beautiful illustrations and is a great counting book to introduce some spanish to your little one. As Callie has recently mastered counting to ten in spanish (more or less) she loves it. This book is a great tribute to Day of the Dead celebrations and folk art.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hush-Little-Monster-Denis-Markell/dp/144244195X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351101634&sr=1-1&keywords=hush+little+monster" target="_blank">Hush Little Monster</a> by Denis Markell<br />
This one is silly and cute. Another good bedtime book as it can be sung along to Hush Little Baby.<br />
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So there you have it, there's my list. What is on yours? Add to the comments and have a wonderful halloween with your little pumpkins this year !Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-16497719645111876412012-10-17T20:29:00.001-07:002012-10-17T20:29:04.822-07:00Taking Toddlers and Babies CampingThis post is long overdue, but I felt it was important to get it down eventually! But let me say this right off the bat. If you are someone that can't handle your kids getting dirty, stop reading right now and go do something else. Anyhoo...<br />
Last month we took the girls camping for the first time. To say I was intimidated was a bit of an understatement. I am not much of an outdoorsy type, unlike my husband who would be totally happy going all John Muir. We didn't camp all that much when we were kids, mostly because my dad wasn't that into it. But of the few times we did go, I have wonderful memories of those experiences.<br />
As I prepared to take my girls, I discovered a lot of those memories hovered around the campsite experience itself. The cooking, the eating, the camp fire. When our friends who have a little boy about 9 months old invited us to camp with them at Big Basin in their tent cabin I was definitely interested, especially since Big Basin was exactly the place I had camped with my family as a child.<br />
I started emailing friends that had taken their kids camping and doing a bit of internet research on camping with toddlers. The friends I talked to had a mixed experience. The first night was terrible for most of them with very little sleep happening. So I decided that we should do two nights when initally we were only going to do one. And after all, why do all that packing and planning for one night?! And well, I thought to myself, we can deal with one night of little sleep. Been there done that! (In the end, sleep ending up being fine. Took her a while to go down but once she did she was out! So don't let the sleep question deter you!)<br />
So the packing list began. And oh my. What a list! And here it is for you, kind reader.<br />
-Camera!!<br />
-<b>Jeans</b>: seriously, why would you deal with anything else?<br />
<b>-long sleeved and short sleeved shirts</b>: the days started out quite cool but by the time the afternoon rolled around it was quite warm so definitely plan on layers. Bring extra clothes for diaper mishaps or if the dirt is out of control. Onesies for babies, and extra jeans and shirts for toddlers. This camping is dirty business.<br />
-<b>Fleece sweatshirts and PJs</b>. We ended up not sleeping in the cabin with our friends, mostly because I had zero idea what callie's sleep would look like and I didn't want to wake up their little man too much! I was very glad I was able to find some fleece pjs in early september since we were sleeping outside in the tent and it obviously got a little chilly! But I admit it felt funny buying fleece when we were dealing with 90 degree weather in september in California!<br />
-<b>Shoes with good tread</b>. This was my biggest challenge! Callie has a lot of shoes, some of them even athletic type shoes but they all were geared towards urban living not hiking in the woods! After a great deal of searching I settled on a pair of<a href="http://www.zappos.com/merrell-kids-jungle-moc-dual-strap-infant-toddler-wineberry"> merrel shoes</a> that had a good solid tread on it. They were a little more expensive than I usually spend on shoes for Callie, but I figured it was worth it if she could keep her footing. I ended being very thankful for that because she ended up taking quite a few tumbles while we were there.<br />
-<b>Socks:</b> bring extra. You never know where toddlers will find water sources! REI and other stores like that sell special socks for hiking/kids but really you don't need them. Just use your normal socks. Carters and Target brands are just fine.<br />
-<b>Towel</b>: our campsite was directly across from the bathrooms and showers. This was part of the reason I was open to this camping experience in the first place! The funny thing is I never used the showers. Everytime I tried, one of the girls was flipping out and it was either shower or risk not being able to go hiking before naptime nightmare began. Any anyway, it's camping. If there is one time to be stinky this is it! So in retrospect, this item isn't a necessity, but if you think you will use showers then obviously bring one.<br />
-<b>Hats</b>: bring warm ones for the morning/cold and sun hats for the afternoon/hikes. One of my favorite pictures of the trip was one of me and Lucia in our matching Sharks' hats:)<br />
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-<b>Books/Toys/Stuffed Animals:</b> if any of these items are part of your bedtime routine, for the love of all that's holy don't leave home without them! Don't think to yourself, we will be camping they won't want to do the normal stuff. Wrongo Dongo. Routine is crucial for kids, much more than for you and I. They are going to be pretty out of their element anyway so bringing anything familiar is key. I actually wish I had brought more toys for Callie. There was a lot of downtime when we needed to clean up meals or get cleaned up to go hiking and it was hard to keep her entertained.<br />
<b>Tent and Beds</b>: DUH. Unless you are staying in a cabin, bring a dang tent. When you think your tent is big enough when it was just you and your sweetie. THINK AGAIN. No really. Think again. And find a tent that is at least twice as big. The amount of shit that you will have in your tent is unreal. For little beings they come with so much stuff!! We ended up finding a nice roomy tent at Mel Cottons that was used as their rental tent, so it was a smokin deal! $50!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And yes, that is a lot of timbuk2 bags. But they are amazing!! </td></tr>
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If you are doing car camping like we were/are, you really don't need a backpacking style tent. They are a lot more expensive. The backpacking tents that would have been about the same size were going to cost us around $550-$600. Now, if you really want to save space in your car and don't want to lug a heavy tent around, then go ahead and get a backpacking tent. One of the things that really helped us was to have a little light hanging from the top of the tent to work as a night light for Callie. If you don't have a battery powered lamp, you can use glow<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HROJVM/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000IZ9N78&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08A6Y1BK9T2E0Z1YC4KD"> sticks</a>. They have a nice little loop that is perfect for hanging and it lasted most of the night. Yes, you don't NEED 25 of them, but you will be surprised at how entertaining they are to a toddler especially around the campfire when you just want to enjoy your hot chocolate and smores. Plus you can use them for Halloween. We used an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Shrunks-Tuckaire-Toddler-Inflatable/dp/B001EQ66WK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350524837&sr=8-1&keywords=toddler+travel+bed">inflatable toddler bed</a> that has "rails" on it for callie to sleep in. It is great for traveling!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the greatest shot of the bed, but you get the idea...</td></tr>
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We have used it twice since and it is perfect! We bring sheets from home to put over it for a little more security for her.<br />
For the baby, we brought the pack and play but quickly realized it was pretty silly. I would try to get out of bed as fast as possible to get her into bed with me to nurse so she wouldn't wake up Callie which is a little like trying to do ballet on a waterbed. A pack and play is useful if you have a non-mobile kid for in the campsite. It is nice to just stick them in there with a few toys and prep dinner.<br />
<b>Camping Chairs</b>: one for everyone! We actually ended up buying Callie one at the store at the camp headquarters. She loved having a cup holder for her water/milk/hot chocolate.<br />
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<b>Special cup</b>: I bought a special <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/839810/rei-graphic-doppio-stainless-steel-tumbler">camping cup</a> for Callie. She is still talking about it!<br />
<b>Diapers and wipes</b>. Again. DUH. But what might not be duh, is when you think you have enough wipes. Pack more. Trust me. If you are not at a campsite where there is a place to dispose of your trash, bring a container/wet bag like <a href="http://www.planetwiseinc.com/Planet_Wise_WetDry_Bag_43_cat.html">these</a> from planet wise.<br />
<b>Toiletry items</b>: bring your normal stuff, but just the basics, because the car is getting pretty full at this point! Comb, toothpaste, hair products, etc. Within reason. No need for makeup or anything crazy. It's camping people!<br />
<b>Hiking backpack/baby carrier</b>. We brought the Ergo for Lucia which was invaluable as always.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friends brought a pack for their little man and I sorely wished we had brought one for Callie! </td></tr>
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But we did not bring a hiking backpack for Callie and I really wish we had. We had some VERY long (in time not distance) hikes on this trip.<br />
<b>Waterproof blanket</b>: Like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013K1NXE/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B005G3DA1C&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=118K6Y1YPZKT7Y3YM11C">this one</a> is a nice idea. It was nice to be able to plop Lucia down and let her play there. I'm not sure you need it with an active toddler who will just crumple it up anyway!<br />
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<b>Screen House</b>: again, not really a necessity unless you have problems with bugs like I do. That is why I don't usually camp:) We used an old one we had which we promptly left in a trash can before we left. We had gotten decent use out of it, but <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/794289/rei-screen-house">this one </a>looks pretty good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The screen house was the perfect place to feed daddy some smores</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And to watch your toddler smoosh her face into it and laugh hysterically! </td></tr>
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First Aid items: I almost didn't bring anything. I thought "She'll be fine. She won't get hurt." Then I looked at her and remembered, oh yeah. This is Callie we're talking about! The number one item: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Neosporin-Cleanser-Instantly-2-3-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B0058PKPNE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1350526195&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=foaming+neosporin">foaming neosporin</a>. This stuff is amazing! I keep it in my diaper bag now. I am sad to say that we had to use it the first day. Callie was climbing a tree stump and slid down scraping up her belly pretty badly.<br />
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Poor thing was so upset! Other items to include would be bandaids, compresses, sunscreen, bug spray and venom kits/epi pens if you are allergic to bees like me.<br />
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<u><b>Food</b></u><br />
This was where I focused a lot of my energy, because I think the fun of camping is the time around the campfire and a lot of that time involves food! And like I kept telling my camp mates when they were shocked by the types of things that I had stashed away in the cooler, "I don't rough it!" I scoured the internet for recipes that would be easy to prepare while camping but that didn't involve freeze dried beef stew! That did mean, however, that it took a bit more prep time on the day before we left, but it was definitely worth it while we were camping. For your toddler, bring lots of snacks that you already know they like. You will just be annoyed if you spend valuable car space hauling a snack they won't eat. For us that meant, triscuit minis, rice cakes, bunnies and dried fruit. Also bring some backups for dinners if they are picky. A box of mac and cheese went a long way to cheer up a grumpy girl.<br />
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The first night, I wanted something we could just reheat and eat since I knew we would be spending a good amount of time getting the tent set up and getting Callie adjusted to her new surroundings. So the night before we left I made a batch of my minestrone and put it in a gallon ziplock bag. All we had to do was heat and serve. Sliced up some bread and got out a bottle of wine and voila! Awesome dinner.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's me. Roughing it. </td></tr>
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For breakfast, it was your typical fare, eggs, potatoes and sausage. I found this<a href="http://www.rei.com/product/815420/coghlans-12-egg-holder"> lovely little contraption</a> at REI to hold the eggs. It was genius! No worries about your styrofoam egg container falling apart in your cooler. I even dropped the damn thing and no broken eggs. The breakfast plan was <a href="http://applevalleygirl.blogspot.com/2012/06/camping-bbq-recipes-weeklumberjack.html">lumberjack foil packets</a>. We learned that this would work beautifully over a campfire/bbq but on a campstove the bottom got too hot too fast. But it was still pretty tasty! When I think of campfire breakfast, I'm pretty sure this is the image that will always come to mind for the rest of my life. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My happy camper enjoying her breakfast</td></tr>
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The plan for lunch was to make chicken tacos, but we really didn't need a full lunch. We had some cheese and crackers and that was really all we needed until dinner. For dinner I made my Veggie Chili which is an adaption of <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/veg-head-three-bean-chili-recipe/index.html">this recipe</a>. Again, a really easy one for camping. I chopped up my garlic, peppers, onions and put them in a sandwich sized ziplock. Another one for the spices. Packed up the cans and beer. Then you basically just toss everything into a pot and let it cook! We added some soyrizo since it was on hand. I had made some cornbread muffins ahead of time to go with the chili but they got smooshed in the car, but it worked when we just crumbled them up and put it in the chili. That night I got to try out my <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/781835/platypus-platypreserve-wine-preservation-system-27-fl-oz">platypus wine preserver</a>. Worked like a charm and so easy to pack! If you are "roughing it", more so than we did anyway, this would work great! No bottle to worry about breaking and it lays pretty flat. <div>
Breakfast I brought a shake and go bottle of pancake mix. We got out the griddle and made our pancakes and finished off the bacon and frozen hashbrowns. Again, no real need for lunch. About then it was time to pack up and head home. </div>
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Make sure you have lots choices for snacks/beverages. We had packets of hot cider, hot chocolate, beer and wine for the mommies and daddies, marshmallows, fixings for smores, etc. Don't forget a container of milk for your little ones. I put some milk in a tupperware so we didn't have to worry about it taking up too much room or cardboard leaking milk everywhere. We are serious coffee drinkers so we brought some ground coffee from our favorite coffee shop and <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/401153/one-cup-coffee-maker">this coffee system</a>. It was a little tricky getting the ratios right, but it was so nice to have good coffee in the morning!<br /><br />
<b>Preparation</b><br />
Besides getting all of this CRAP together, the big thing you need to do is to get your toddler excited/prepared to go camping! We talked a lot about what camping meant: sleep in a tent, go hiking, collect rocks/sticks, see lots of trees, carry a back pack, smores. I picked up a couple of books about camping including Callie's favorite character, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maisy-Goes-Camping-First-Experience/dp/0763643688/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350513915&sr=8-1&keywords=maisy+goes+camping">Maisy</a>. Some other possibilities are <a href="http://www.amazon.com/OLIVIA-Camping-Olivia-Ready-Read/dp/1442421355/ref=pd_sim_b_2">Olivia</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caillou-Camping-Clubhouse-Roger-Harvey/dp/2894508565/ref=pd_sim_b_33">Caillou</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curious-George-Goes-Camping-Margret/dp/0395978351/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">George</a>. There are some lovely picture books as well. I opted for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Is-Smores-Camping-Alphabet-Books/dp/1585363022/ref=pd_sim_b_9">S is for Smores</a> by Helen James. There are gorgeous pictures for kids Callie's age and there is a bunch of text about each letter for older kids. Another popular title is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Camping-Margriet-Ruurs/dp/0887766854/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">When We Go Camping</a>. Also, try to involve your toddler in the preparations. We all went to Mel Cottons to find a tent and a sleeping bag for Callie. While it was the equivalent of herding cats, trying to get everything done there, she had a blast checking out tents, climbing in kayaks and when it came time to get in her sleeping bag, she knew it was hers and was already excited about it. I also bought her a special pillow. In our case it was a sharkie pillow pet. I think it is helpful, like with any trip, to bring out something new/special to keep them interested.<br />
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<b>Hiking</b><br />
We did "hike" both days. I'm not sure a lot of people would call what we did hiking, but come on! Two year olds have little legs:)<br />
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Don't underestimate what has entertainment value to toddlers while hiking. I bought her a backpack that you can see in the picture above. She loved collecting fallen pinecones and a few rocks. We also found an old disposable camera that should have been developed before 2000 in our camping box, but we gave it to Callie and she had a blast!<br />
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A word of caution. Be wary of naptime. Both days, by the time we got done with breakfast and cleaned up we were getting dangerously close to naptime. Next time I might just say screw it to cleaning and just get our butts on the trail! </div>
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<b>Changes for Next time</b><br />
I will most defintiely take the girls camping again! 1 month later and Callie is still talking about going camping. Next time I will bring some sort of hiking pack to carry Callie in. Taking her hiking was really fun and it was awesome to see the joy of discovery on her face but when she got tired she was a total pill! It would be great to toss her in a pack and head back to camp. I will also probably bring more things like toys to keep her occupied when we are trying to clean up and get going. I will bring a bug box for her to examine her treasuries more closely. Luckily Grandma Tere has already gotten her one for our next adventure. Next time, I know that we won't need the pack and play for the tent. Lucia just ended up sleeping with me/nursing anyway.<br />
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Final Thoughts<br />
This is one of the happiest memories I have of us as a family.<br />
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This is by far the happiest I have seen my husband with my daughters. </div>
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He is most serene and at peace when he is in nature, so for him to be able to share that with all of us was an amazing experience. Camping is an experience. Don't let all the preparation and shit that you have to bring dissuade you from this adventure. It was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat. To hear your child squeal with delight about trees and birds and the sky and the stars is priceless. She still every now and then talks about how "I go camping! I sleep in a tent!" </div>
Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-31858925364602643322012-08-23T16:51:00.002-07:002012-08-23T16:51:30.592-07:00The Reading Round Up Part 1For a while I have been telling myself "I should make a list of all of Callie's favorite books thus far," because there definitely have been some surprises along the way. I have definitely been surprised how long we needed to do board books versus picture books. And some of the books that I was so excited about, she could care less about. I think when I found out I was pregnant with her I automatically started thinking about what books we would enjoy together. Books were the most common item on our baby registry. Reading is always something that has been crucial in my life. I remember very fondly spending summers reading with our whole family together in the living room and I hope to do the same for my girls. I do find that times when I am not able to read as much as I would like, like...say...now, when I am balancing a toddler and a baby, I feel a little out of whack. But I do get to read a lot with Callie during the day. The books that I thought she would be into she isn't necessarily. And some books. Oh my dear god. Kill me if I have to read them one more time. So here you go. Here is the list in no particular order.<br />
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Anything and everything <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_5?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=maisy&sprefix=maisy%2Caps%2C3055">Maisy</a>. But especially <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maisy-Goes-Camping-First-Experience/dp/0763643688/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345758188&sr=1-1&keywords=maisy+goes+camping">Maisy Goes Camping</a>. We definitely need a new copy since the cover has completely come off. Sadly, we haven't even taken Callie camping yet! But hopefully we will rectify that soon. Haha. In finding the link for Maisy for you, sweet reader, I came across a new one for our collection, Maisy Goes to Preschool. Thank you Amazon Prime!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Click-Clack-Moo-Classic-Board/dp/1442408898/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345758287&sr=1-1">Click Clack Moo</a>. This is a recent favorite and I couldn't be happier! One of my favorites. And to hear hear exclaim "Quick Quack Moo!" is pretty darn adorable.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Green-Start-Little-Helpers-IKids/dp/160169007X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345763685&sr=1-1&keywords=little+helpers">Little Helpers</a>. This is a nice one. Callie loves it because it has birds, butterflies and other things she can name. Good book on being "green."<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Awake-Nap-Nikki-Mcclure/dp/1570615071/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345764972&sr=1-1&keywords=nap+childrens+book">Awake to Nap</a> by Nikki McClure. Very cool illustrations in this partial alphabet book. I wish it went through all the letters, but it is beautiful for what it is. Apparently the author made these block prints while her son napped. Guess he didn't nap quite long enough!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chicka-Boom-Lap-Edition/dp/141699999X/ref=pd_sim_b_16">Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</a> by Bill Martin. I love love love reading this with Callie. She loves to reply with Boom Boom when I say Chicka Chicka.<br />
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Anything by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eric-Carle/e/B000APAFUA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1345758859&sr=1-2-ent">Eric Carle</a>. These books are wonderful for little ones. The pictures are engaging and beautiful. There are a lot of titles to choose from but Callie's favorites are The Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Head-Toe-Board-Book/dp/0694013013/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759375&sr=1-1&keywords=from+head+to+toe+board+book">From Head to Toe</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Very-Busy-Spider-Board-Book/dp/0399229191/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759156&sr=1-9&keywords=the+hungry+caterpillar+board+book">TheVery Busy Spider</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/1-2-Zoo-Eric-Carle/dp/0399230130/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_boa?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759240&sr=1-1&keywords=1%2C2%2C3+to+the+zoo">1,2,3 To The Zoo</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Five-Little-Monkeys-Jumping-board/dp/0547896913/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759760&sr=1-5&keywords=five+little+monkeys+jumping+on+the+bed">Ten Little Monkeys</a> by Eileen Christalow: I will admit it. I hide this book all the time. We got it from a friend and Callie loves it. But after reading it a gazillion times, good god. Kill me. I want to tie those monkeys to the bed. No more jumping! Oh well. At least it isn't ten little monkeys. It's only five.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Babys-Belly-Button-Lift-/dp/0689835604/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759454&sr=1-1&keywords=where+is+baby%27s+belly+button">Where is Baby's Belly Button</a> by Karen Katz. There is a whole series of these books. Where is baby's puppy, where is baby's mommy, etc. They are great books! Especially for the early stuff. The flaps are easy to grab for little hands and can stand up to a fair amount of abuse.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-You-Were-Born/dp/0312346069/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345759980&sr=1-1&keywords=on+the+night+you+were+born+by+nancy+tillman">On The Night That You Were Born</a> by Nancy Tillman. This is a GORGEOUS book. Buy it. If you know someone having a baby. Buy it. I was in the Santa Cruz Bookshop with Callie when she was teeny tiny and I was looking at it, most likely not going to buy it when a random mom came up to me and said "You HAVE to buy that book. You will love it. If you don't buy I'm going to buy it for you." That was enough for me, to have a complete stranger offer to buy you a book. That's a keeper. There is also On the Day That You Were Born, but I like this one better.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Peek--Who-Nina-Laden/dp/0811826023/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760139&sr=1-1&keywords=peek+a+who">Peek a Who</a> by Nina Laden. This is another recent favorite since Callie is pretty obsessed with owls at the moment. But this would be a great early book as well.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tickle-Monster-Laughter-Josie-Bissett/dp/1932319832/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760169&sr=1-1&keywords=tickle+monster+book+and+mitts">Tickle Monster</a> by Josie Bisset. Yes that Josie Bissett, of Melrose Place fame. But don't let that stop you. It is awesome! We LOVE this book. Bill's cousins gave it to Callie for her first Christmas. It is awesome! Make sure you buy the set with the tickle monster gloves. It is worthless without them, in my opinion. We have had so many fun tickle fests because of this book. This is another great one for gifts.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Press-Here-Herve-Tullet/dp/0811879542/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760353&sr=1-1&keywords=press+here+by+herv%C3%A9+tullet">Press Here</a> by Herve Tullet. We have bought this book for pretty much every birthday party we have gone to for the last year. It's at the point where I can't remember who I've given it to we love it so so much. It is wonderful! It is vibrant and colorful, interactive and tactile. Kids get to shake the book, blow on it and clap to make that wonderful little yellow dot do some amazing things. This is one book where I don't think you need the board book. The hardcover has a very sturdy cover and the pages aren't very fragile either.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Napping-House-Audrey-Wood/dp/0152567089/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760437&sr=1-1&keywords=the+napping+house+by+audrey+wood">The Napping House</a> by Audrey and Don Wood. I am so glad Callie got into this one recently. I have always had a special place in my heart for the incredible illustrations of this team of author and illustrator.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Gorilla-Peggy-Rathmann/dp/0399230033/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_boa?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760708&sr=1-1&keywords=goodnight+gorilla">Goodnight Gorilla</a> by Peggy Rathmann. Callie really likes this one. This is a good beginning book as it is very visual and not too dependent on words.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doggies-Boynton-Board-Sandra/dp/0671493183/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345763285&sr=1-13&keywords=books+for+babies">Doggies</a> by Sandra Boynton. Another good early one since it depends on counting and funny noises.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lot-Otters-Picture-Puffins/dp/0698118634/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345764190&sr=1-1&keywords=a+lot+of+otters">A Lot of Otters</a> by Barbara Berger. I bought this for Callie the first time we took her to the Monterey Aquarium. Absolutely gorgeous. This is another one that she wasn't into for quite a while but is now.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Moon-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0694003611/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345760891&sr=1-1">Goodnight Moon</a> by Margaret Wise Brown. I love reading this with Callie. She wouldn't go to bed without reading it for a good long while. And I was happy to oblige. I read it so much that I noticed on one of the pages where you can see a picture hanging on the wall. That picture is from one of her other books, Runaway Bunny. Unfortunately I can't seem to get Callie into that one yet. But seriously, it would be a crime if you child's reading library didn't include this gorgeous classic.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Bed-Big-Book-Mem/dp/0152010149/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345760968&sr=1-1&keywords=time+for+bed+board+book">Time for Bed</a> by Mem Fox. This is another one that makes a great gift, especially for a new baby. The pictures are beautiful and they all show parents with their babies. For whatever reason when we get to the page with the fish Callie points to one and says "mama fish" and points to the other and says "callie fish."<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Alphabet-Lois-Ehlert/dp/015201036X/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0">Eating the Alphabet</a> by Lois Ehlert. This is especially great for when your little one starts eating solid food. Callie always gets very excited when we get to W. And I think you know why!<br />
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Elmo. Ugh. The red devil himself. These are another series that I tend to hide every now and then. Callie loves them so I bring them back out occassionally. See. I didn't even give you the link. There. That should tell you something. And yes, it was a gift.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bark-George-Jules-Feiffer/dp/0062051857/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345761520&sr=1-1&keywords=bark+george">Bark, George</a>. We discovered this one at a storytime day at the Rosegarden library and we both love it! Callie loves most books with dogs:) Like...<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Pups-Marsha-Wilson-Chall/dp/1416979603/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345763788&sr=1-1&keywords=one+pup%27s+up">One Pups Up</a> by Marsha Chall. Another counting book. Very cute illustrations.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knuffle-Bunny-A-Cautionary-Tale/dp/0786818700/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">Knuffle Bunny</a> by Mo Williams. All his books are really cute and clever. This is a great one! A good, cautionary tale (especially for daddies) about taking good care of lovies! He has some other great ones like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and There is a Bird on your Head. And no, I am not making these up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guess-How-Much-Love-You/dp/0763642649/ref=pd_sim_b_10">Guess How Much I Love You</a> by Sam McBratney. I love love love this book and I so glad that Callie finally got into it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Terrible-Horrible-Good-Very/dp/0689711735/ref=pd_sim_b_18">Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day</a> by Judith Viorst. I have no idea why Callie likes this book (it's very words which normally doesn't fly with her!) but she does. Go figure.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr.-Seuss/e/B000AP8MY6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1345762363&sr=1-2-ent">Dr. Seuss</a>. Get these for the early stages. In my opinion, the window of enjoyment for these is fairly small. Callie is way over them. With the exception of The Cat in the Hat and Go Dog Go. She never gets tired of that one. And of course the one that I liked the best, she could care less about. My poor sneetches with stars upon thars.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/BIG-BABY-FACES-HUGS-ALL/dp/1445403528/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345762467&sr=1-1&keywords=hugs+all+day">Hugs All Day</a>. This is a random one. There isn't really even an author listed. We got it as a gift for Callie's first birthday. Callie loved loved loved this book for months. This is another really great early book. The pages are very sturdy and the pictures are great.<br />
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I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole. This is a must if there is a sibling on the way. We received 4 copies! But Callie loves it. Don't ask me why but the only version available on amazon is the one is spanish. But apparently this book is everywhere! Well, except on the internet.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Kissed-Baby-Mary-Murphy/dp/0763624438/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345764078&sr=1-1&keywords=i+kissed+the+baby+board+book">I Kissed the Baby</a> by Mary Murphy. This is a great one for babies since it is black and white so the high contrast is easy for them to see. Callie still digs it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Bag-Princess-Classic-Munsch/dp/0920236162/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345764520&sr=1-1&keywords=the+paper+bag+princess">The Paper bag Princess</a> by Robert Munsch. I love this book. Callie is sort of into it and seems to be even more so everytime we read it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Dreams-Michael-Wertz/dp/1584234717/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345764864&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+dreams">Dog Dreams</a>. Another one with very cool illustrations.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zamboni-Hockey-Alphabet-Books/dp/1585363030/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345765135&sr=1-1">Z is for Zamboni</a>. Come one. You saw that one coming didn't you? Pretty sure we'd have to kick Callie out of the CG clan if she didn't like this one. The best part is at the end she jumps up with her hands in the air and yells "GO SHARKS!" That's my girl.<br />
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Misses:<br />
These are books that I love and thought Callie would to, but she doesn't. At least not yet. I am going to keep trying!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Carrot-Seed-Board-Book/dp/0694004928/ref=pd_sim_b_48">The Carrot Seed</a> by Ruth Krauss. This is a very simple book, it has been described as "zen like" so I thought Callie would be into it. But not yet.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stellaluna-Janell-Cannon/dp/0152802177/ref=la_B001H6OEY4_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345761396&sr=1-1">Stella Luna</a>. I even tried getting this for her in a board book and nada. Crushed. Totally crushed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Bunny-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0060775823/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345761743&sr=1-1&keywords=runaway+bunny">Runaway Bunny</a> by Margaret Wise Brown<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Forever-Robert-Munsch/dp/0920668372/ref=pd_sim_b_3">Love You Forever</a> by Robert Munsch. This one is all me. I fully admit it. I remember loving it because of the way my mom read it to me. But when I read it as an adult the ending kinda creeped me out. I should probably get over it.<br />
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Books by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Henkes/e/B000APBEP0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1345761805&sr=1-2-ent">Kevin Henkes</a>. I registered for at least 4 of his books for Callie and she isn't really into them. Although I haven't brought them out in a while. Might be time to try again! My favorites are Wemberly Worried, Julius Baby of the World and any of the Lily Books.<br />
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Oh and here is one just for the mommies and daddies. Seriously dude. Don't read it to your kid. It will help you get through some tough nights with a little laughter! If they ever go to sleep that is! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345765466&sr=1-1&keywords=go+the+f+to+sleep">Go The F**k To Sleep</a> by Adam Mansbach. The illustrations are surprisingly gorgeous too. I haven't heard it, but Samuel L. Jackson also does the voice for the audio book:)<br />
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Oop. here is another one. I forgot about this one! We got this as a gift and we still love it:) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Mix-Me-Drink-Use/dp/1932416455/ref=pd_sim_b_9">Baby Mix Me a Drink</a> by Lisa Brown. There is also Baby Fix My Car, Baby Make My Breakfast and Baby Do My Banking.<br />
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That's it for now! I'm sure there are a gazillion I am missing, especially from the early stages. Parents, Teachers: what are your favorites? For the early early stuff, you can't go wrong with high contrast or tactile like touch and feel.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-42953174816981891842012-07-31T07:08:00.002-07:002012-07-31T07:11:49.711-07:00The Cloud of ResentmentA friend sent me <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ignore-time-breastfeeding-cover-never-ask-mom-enough-185319610.html">this article</a> the other day. It's a little old, well, two months old. But that's an eternity when you are talking about controversies over magazines and breast feeding! The main idea is, as a mom, if you hate doing something don't do it. It sounds so simple but nothing is simple when it comes to parenting. You may hate baby wearing or breastfeeding (or any other parenting trend) but we feel compelled or almost forced to do it because, well, giant pointer fingers seem to always be jammed in our faces at any moment. The list is endless: breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, cloth diapers, swaddling, co-sleeping, baby wearing, stay at home, go back to work, attachment parenting, making our own baby food, Ferberizing, look out! BPA is going to kill us! , sleep training, cry it out, oh no-- don't do cry it out it will damage your child forever. It's enough to make you crazy and add it with some good old fashioned stress and sleep deprivation and there you have it. Nuts. Totally nutso mama. So not doing something because you hate it is a little more complicated when you are a parent because you are responsible for another human. Plus if they fail in any way, the pointing begins even if it's not physical or real, we feel it. Maybe we are just pointing at ourselves but the pressure is real.<br />
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So it got me thinking what do I hate about parenting. My first thought is my two year old but that's not totally true. She has moments of real sweetness and hilarity mixed in with her particular brand of crazy. I hate bedtime. Can't really get rid of that though...I did get to a point where I just had to let some of it go so we put up a gate in her room. I hated doing cloth diapers with Callie once she turned two so I stopped. But I felt compelled to have someone else tell me it was ok. The cloth diaper thing is so hard for me because I feel strongly about the fact that we should try to help our planet as much as we can and diapers last forever in those landfills! So I feel sometimes that I <i>have to</i> do it because there are so many other people not doing it. But it got to the point with Callie that it was just making things so much harder. I texted a couple people as I struggled with it and they gave me the permission I was craving. And then I thought to myself, I made it two years with only a disposable diaper at night. That's pretty darn good. You know what else I hated? Reusable baby wipes. What a mess. Loved the idea but damn Gina, I already have mountains of laundry! I will admit, I buy into most of the parenting trends but I don't feel that I go overboard. It works for us. But when I have let things go, like Callie's cloth diapers, the wave of relief was palpable. What a relief! And there is the value of letting things go. I love when the author says "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">A woman cannot live a life or raise a child in a cloud of resentment. Resentment is life-threatening. It's enfeebling. And it's everywhere." It is so true! Resentment is a destructive force especially when coupled when the enormous amounts of pressure, guilt and finger pointing that comes our way. So let's do ourselves and our kids a favor. Let's ease up a little bit and try to remember why we had kids. For the fun, for the love and to redisover some of what we have lost as we have become responsible adults. Because let's face it, every morning is more fun when you start it with your pants on your head or wearing a strainer for a hat, like my girl here. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7QNkpT-wYQZQcpx726npgiOWTg_mUtNeIvfEiMFEyj5F0o8XUUwdfzbwoAleGj63ISOKZ7C-E-SGw2K2US6ljd42lUVdmIYJpSuQjWUjntg8EGiMiQOIdCNfAy7J1_l-wwrrRzWpmYY/s1600/IMG_2467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7QNkpT-wYQZQcpx726npgiOWTg_mUtNeIvfEiMFEyj5F0o8XUUwdfzbwoAleGj63ISOKZ7C-E-SGw2K2US6ljd42lUVdmIYJpSuQjWUjntg8EGiMiQOIdCNfAy7J1_l-wwrrRzWpmYY/s320/IMG_2467.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-72436222186831213622012-07-26T20:00:00.001-07:002012-07-26T20:00:14.432-07:00Our Sleep Adventures ContinueOur trouble with sleep continues. Things were going well with Callie in her bed for a while and then...well...we screwed it up. We moved Lucia into her room at four months because our pediatrician had recommended we put her in her crib rather than the co sleeper in the hope that having more room would allow her to sleep for longer periods. And since we have such a small house we tried putting her in her crib, which was in Callie's room. The first night went ok. Still 3 hour stretches. The next night was better 4-5 hour stretches. We were feeling good, like we had it under control. Which as any parent will tell you, is the kiss of death. Because that is when it will all go to crap.<br />
The worst of it was a couple of days ago. I wrestled with Callie for 2 hours to take a nap during the day. I tried everything. Bribery, cajoling, pleading, demanding. I ended up screaming at her (again). She rolled over and went right to sleep. And I went right into my room and sobbed. Again. I hated myself again for not being the mom she needs me to be.<br />
That night we spent four hours getting her to go to sleep. So around 12:45 am she finally went to sleep. And then we got Lucia down as well. We thought: "Okay. That sucked. But it's done. They are both asleep."Again. Kiss of death. Callie was up 3 hours later. Bill got her back to sleep, slowly but surely. And promptly fell asleep himself in the chair in her room. 1 hour later I went in to get Lucia because she was awake and crying, so I woke Bill up, since I knew he would wake up eventually with a sore back at the very least. After that, Callie stayed asleep but Lucia was up every hour. In between each hour I was crying and finding that my rope had yet another end just when I thought I had reached it already. I started looking into sleep consultants because I couldn't handle this. AT ALL. I knew one of the madres had used one so I emailed her at 2am to find out who she had used. I found a couple of other names as well. I knew that we could handle it with two of us but with the amount of traveling Bill will be doing, the reality is that there is no way I could handle it on my own.<br />
In the morning when I had a grand total of 3 hours of sleep under my belt I received a great gift from my mom. An offer to take Callie off my hands so I could get my rest. Sweet relief! I took the girls to our usual storytime gig on wednesdays and deposited Callie into Grandma Tere's minivan for the afternoon. Lucia and I came home, nursed and went to sleep for a glorious two whole hours! I knew that I probably could have gotten her to sleep more but I wanted some ammunition for this new battle. Off to google I went!<br />
So now we are armed with some good information about toddler sleep patterns. The first thing we did was move Lucia out of Callie's room. At the moment, Lucia's crib is right smack in the middle of the dining room! We are planning on moving it to the back bedroom which means we have to get rid of some other furniture to make it work but that's ok. After doing a fair amount of research I discovered that we were spending too much time on her routine. The experts recommend 1 hour tops from bath time to nigh nighs. I would wager that we were spending at least double that time, which would be one of the many reasons that I hated bedtime! So now we are working on maybe 20 minutes for bath rather than waiting for her to tell us when she was done. I am going to utilize a timer on the phone. So the timer can be the bad guy instead of me. Lord knows I've played that role enough. PJs and then storytime. This one was the hard piece for me to swallow. Being a teacher I was thrilled that Callie liked reading so much, but doing 8-10 books before bedtime was just taking too long but I tried not to let that one show because I thought it was so important. So now we are limiting it to three books at night but I am going to try to read with her throughout the day a little more. We also had been using a lamp in her room but I think it was too bright so it was opening up all kinds of adventures to her after we left the room and closed the baby gate. So now I am turning off the lamp and turning on her twilight turtle so she can see the stars. Some other ideas I read about was to just be as calm as possible when I tell her to go to bed a few times. After that we can move into consequences like taking away a blanket or a stuffed animal for a short period of time (2 minutes or so). Or because we have a gate in her room we can just let her do whatever in there til she passes out. Another idea was to give her a high carb snack before bed like cheese and crackers. I am torn on this one because the other big battle we have is over dinner. I'm afraid that if she just waits me out she gets rewarded with food that wasn't for dinner.<br />
Anyway, so lots of changes. We implemented them for the first time last night and BAM! She went right to sleep! Could be beginners luck, but I know that being consistent is the key.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-4523747035111742622012-07-15T00:01:00.003-07:002012-07-15T00:01:54.254-07:00Callie's Sleeping Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been quite some time since I have been able to blog. Sorry fair reader! But I have been in single mama mode for a while. More on that in another post (hopefully!). The last couple of months we have been dealing with Callie's sleep adventures. A couple of months ago Callie started climbing out of her crib. The girl is pretty spry and coordinated but I was worried that at some point she would fall and hurt herself, so we took the side of the crib off and bought a crib rail. Then the "fun" began. She was in and out of her bed, and this is no exaggeration, at least 20 times a night before she would fall asleep in strange places.<br />
Like...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbcCR2MKyztX-TI_nVb34VYs02m0SI1Yp2a-ziChio9_lRHGyS9gb0_fCnYGrNA-w5_dv2hQZy2kAk6-6-Mk4ELq-qMdqCLwqJV6LcS_rzcbjaB81kiY5cUNhGGcys-tC18XVAloh6u8/s1600/IMG_3244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbcCR2MKyztX-TI_nVb34VYs02m0SI1Yp2a-ziChio9_lRHGyS9gb0_fCnYGrNA-w5_dv2hQZy2kAk6-6-Mk4ELq-qMdqCLwqJV6LcS_rzcbjaB81kiY5cUNhGGcys-tC18XVAloh6u8/s320/IMG_3244.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRlARUxrePe0ezj9UxTq_sE23IKM3RAHA1VGUBD8IKxLPaMRCRcK-LdK63OjpJBezkbkaC2SiYxvG5DPSWaStZGQuLImzqJ327Zov1twPeEK9gUSVNae1HU0vpGwzWrOy4RnRdc6-HK4/s1600/IMG_4154.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRlARUxrePe0ezj9UxTq_sE23IKM3RAHA1VGUBD8IKxLPaMRCRcK-LdK63OjpJBezkbkaC2SiYxvG5DPSWaStZGQuLImzqJ327Zov1twPeEK9gUSVNae1HU0vpGwzWrOy4RnRdc6-HK4/s320/IMG_4154.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or here. Hey. At least she is sleeping on something soft. Sorry Milo. SOL.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JDE2LTwn2BJTDiXcQClmmLusFUJwwkDEn7Psxx5_DbN7d4LS3omyJd29HFaIvyqOsfqvLumw3AOGkGqtURleptYKsk_i9zlP4V7LfCOrdHzhMjjluI6V5gHXX-A64vPTkat0hhJ-y2c/s1600/IMG_4164.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JDE2LTwn2BJTDiXcQClmmLusFUJwwkDEn7Psxx5_DbN7d4LS3omyJd29HFaIvyqOsfqvLumw3AOGkGqtURleptYKsk_i9zlP4V7LfCOrdHzhMjjluI6V5gHXX-A64vPTkat0hhJ-y2c/s320/IMG_4164.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She even did it at a friend's house<br />
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It actually got to be super freaky. I am easily freaked out I will admit. Callie would scare the bejesus out of me at night. She would sneak out of her bed and I would look up and she would just be standing there in front of me staring straight at me. I admit it. I screamed once. It was like she was just appearing out of nowhere. She was making almost no noise, which is a feat for my little monster who usually sounds like a herd of elephants.<br />
The worst part was nap time during the day. I would need a break after dealing with a crazy two year old and infant all day. So I look forward to the time of day when I am down to one and I could focus on feeding Lucia or trying to get her on a semblence of a schedule. I would inevitably end up screaming at Callie to "GO TO BED!" It was quickly becoming a war. And I felt horrible. I felt like I was becoming a Joan Crawford version of myself. I would hear myself screaming at the top of my lungs at her, my little girl who made me a mother, who made me someone new. And I would see fear in her face as she started to cry. And then I was crying too. And let me be totally clear. This was not a raised voice. This was not yelling. This was screaming. No holds barred, top of my lungs screaming. I can honestly say I have NEVER in my entire life screamed at someone like this. I was doing it daily. Sometimes more than once a day. And how could I do this to her? How could I do this to our family? I needed to get my shit together and I knew I needed help to do it. I was time to put my pride on the shelf and admit that I needed help and I needed it fast. <br />
I reached out to the moms that I trust the most for advice on what to do because what I was doing sure as hell wasn't working. I got some really good ideas and we are/have been implementing some of them. We are basically throwing a bunch of darts out there and hoping some of them stick to the board.<br />
We have changed how we do storytime. Instead of reading in the back room and then trying to get her to go to her room to settle down and go to sleep we are doing everything in her room. That seems to help to get her in the right mind frame. And it is also making our reading time more enjoyable because she is more focused on the books not on all the random crap in the back room. I cleared off a shelf in her room to put her puzzles and books so her room can be a fun place for her not just the evil place where she has to go to sleep. <br />
We also installed a baby gate on her door. And oh boy did she know the jig was up. She screamed bloody bloody murder when I put it up! But I knew part of the problem was that she was going into other rooms and staying too alert. I thought if I could at least keep her in her room that would be half of the battle. It definitely has helped. The only problem is that her door opens into the room not into the living room so there was one night when she fell asleep in front of the door and I had to push her gently away to be able to get into the room and pick her up and deposit her into the bed.<br />
We bought a lamp for her room. We tried to do a night light but all of her outlets are covered by furniture. We opted for an extra light because one night when I was trying to calm her down she kept pointing to a corner of the room and saying "Yook (her way of saying Look) Mama. Yook!" I turned slowly, because as I said I am easily freaked out. Obviously there was nothing there, as I told her and tried to comfort her. Eventually she said "I scared Mama." Which anytime my tough chick says that she is scared breaks me just a little. So to target we went for a lamp. We found a nice one with stars that she liked.<br />
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So that is part of our new routine. Bath, PJs, she chooses books, we read, turn on the lamp and I turn out the light in the room and say goodnight. She was still sleeping on the floor so I bought a rug so she would at least have somewhere soft to land. In theory as you can see: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b7lvyJfFBMqbzgScgveB5jt_ww4EdLhvFCujeup9TV8G8Um4uIGaV5v2q4f6-76E7ryUq9ECsb0aJXXhAsn7AfKz-aihr0K170WwyCXwlG7zbN2sajOa57M0dUpECskYDppGkUKIJxo/s1600/photo-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b7lvyJfFBMqbzgScgveB5jt_ww4EdLhvFCujeup9TV8G8Um4uIGaV5v2q4f6-76E7ryUq9ECsb0aJXXhAsn7AfKz-aihr0K170WwyCXwlG7zbN2sajOa57M0dUpECskYDppGkUKIJxo/s320/photo-4.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey Callie! Try the rug next time! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz5kRuIE4foKHrmAVOqS9umzmZkAxIBy9VrN-ljRLUAHq0DbUFxr5NN7OD-kkRBUMzCkE3VkHxGRHU2b9oJ6EPEcNl05dAv5OD4Gz8vMPmDn2yxRzebnvJ8sanWATS02-FFkhpnjw_Us/s1600/photo-3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz5kRuIE4foKHrmAVOqS9umzmZkAxIBy9VrN-ljRLUAHq0DbUFxr5NN7OD-kkRBUMzCkE3VkHxGRHU2b9oJ6EPEcNl05dAv5OD4Gz8vMPmDn2yxRzebnvJ8sanWATS02-FFkhpnjw_Us/s320/photo-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was pretty excited when she finally fell asleep on the rug! <br />
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Now it is at the point where when I turn out the light and say goodnight she will climb up on the changing table, turn the light back on and climb into bed and go to sleep.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNHjn34bS3h7YEcJPgstGpX42zMKlUVhWjfJd3PGU2EoJTFQSW9CiZ1hxuolmopJ0V5QS0fshq2eICkh-4LP_yLvIISHSZMHxrCTqsqn3Gn-uE83FVnokTSPg-PIxRlU03equG193EA0/s1600/photo-2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNHjn34bS3h7YEcJPgstGpX42zMKlUVhWjfJd3PGU2EoJTFQSW9CiZ1hxuolmopJ0V5QS0fshq2eICkh-4LP_yLvIISHSZMHxrCTqsqn3Gn-uE83FVnokTSPg-PIxRlU03equG193EA0/s320/photo-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In bed! But she wouldn't stay in bed unless she could wear her happy hollow hat. Inside out. Duh mama. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Not a total victory, but good enough for me! Nap time is still the tough one but sometimes I just try to tire her out during the day at a park or happy hollow or something and then transfer her from the car to her bed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBilDLM5FWbj0ymNDrgM5NrgBv9oNqJSBImwtjsJ-V3-xBW4tM_yw8YOA_RTxnzZdshZa6sN6TFYaBgmWRZXb5FPUzSQYRWsdXnlERRTXMO1jiBrYmq-L-4rnh6TEX1IGCoDS1y1Ebh_0/s1600/IMG_4194.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBilDLM5FWbj0ymNDrgM5NrgBv9oNqJSBImwtjsJ-V3-xBW4tM_yw8YOA_RTxnzZdshZa6sN6TFYaBgmWRZXb5FPUzSQYRWsdXnlERRTXMO1jiBrYmq-L-4rnh6TEX1IGCoDS1y1Ebh_0/s320/IMG_4194.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you Happy Hollow. I am pretty sure they could double the price of membership and I would still consider it a bargain.<br />
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Which is funny because I NEVER use to be able to do that when she was a baby! But whatever. The target is always changing! I also want to give a big shout out to <a href="http://susanstonebelton.com/susans-blog/">Susan Stone Belton</a>. I got to see her speak this past week and it just solidified that yelling doesn't work. So I will keep trying to not yell and to talk to Callie instead even when she is making me bat shit crazy. I am hoping to do another post on her talk because it was so incredibly eye opening. So hopefully more posts coming soon! <br />
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<br /></div>Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-71539059229517409472012-06-15T17:08:00.003-07:002012-06-15T17:08:40.373-07:00Selling Her ShortCallie is well entrenched in the terrible twos. And let me tell you, that name barely gives it justice. It is exhausting! She is constantly pushing the boundaries; finding exactly where the line is. Her level of communication is expanding rapidly, but it still fails her. Which leads to normal, yet exasperating behaviors like biting and pushing. I have to constantly remind myself that she is not becoming a monster. She is not deranged. She is not a bully. She is just 2. And I can't wait until it is over! Sometimes I feel like all I do is yell "No!" or "Stop Callie!" or "Not Safe!" One of the struggles we have had over the last couple of months is that I have had to try to make her more responsive to verbal commands and instructions. Callie has always been very physically minded, but now that more often than not, I have Lucia in my arms I can't necessarily stop and put my hand on Callie's shoulder to stop her from doing something dangerous. Which has led to a lot of loud voices. But it seems to be working, most of the time:) Some days a bulldozer wouldn't stop this girl.<br />
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And then there are moments when she surprises me so completely I think I will pass out. Like on Wednesday. I took her to story time at the Rosegarden Library thinking it could be a total disaster, but wanted to give her some more academic stimulation since we are most likely passing on preschool this fall (more on that later). I hadn't taken her to a library storytime since she had gotten mobile; she just wouldn't sit still or listen to the story. And she went and astounded me. She had an amazing time. It helped that the theme of the books and songs were rabbits. She was so happy. She even sat down most of the time.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrab4fjRU2kHV_oWurg71A6eCrMvCMHvW5bdjbutVqdwRjQpPcENhPa6caVE_rE9xl47tR_dwaIfvM36Em__ZK0Md_nzX1r7vqgKi-BhHGcEjk_Qxon332lhdB2UO8fd69SFsa6woh2gU/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrab4fjRU2kHV_oWurg71A6eCrMvCMHvW5bdjbutVqdwRjQpPcENhPa6caVE_rE9xl47tR_dwaIfvM36Em__ZK0Md_nzX1r7vqgKi-BhHGcEjk_Qxon332lhdB2UO8fd69SFsa6woh2gU/s320/image.jpeg" width="224" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeh80UBPMdR4y7IjOH4_wIskRzrcnruWxp7MiIkzYYwQQY3DAmfbUtazxhreSx8Ba7pBp9rGmqhYXHZacbqAB3hyD7EXNe1vAoWJpwH4nRKAmBCoCtk9iz4D-fYJh-EQDHbgaFKMSzm64/s1600/image_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeh80UBPMdR4y7IjOH4_wIskRzrcnruWxp7MiIkzYYwQQY3DAmfbUtazxhreSx8Ba7pBp9rGmqhYXHZacbqAB3hyD7EXNe1vAoWJpwH4nRKAmBCoCtk9iz4D-fYJh-EQDHbgaFKMSzm64/s320/image_1.jpeg" width="236" /></a> Except when those pesky rabbits showed up on the felt board. I could see her trying so hard to contain herself and not grab them off the board! She had so much fun participating in the songs and dances with her friend S. Thank goodness S was there! Callie loves her completely and I could tell her "Callie, sit down next to S." when she was getting too excited or antsy. Which was a saving grace since Lucia wanted to be held and bounced. Callie looked so grown up following along and I was so proud of her I was positively electric. And in that moment I realized that I had been selling her short. She can participate in circle time. She could handle preschool if she/we wanted to. I had been really trying to be respectful of who she is and what she can do. And I was going much too far in the other direction. So are we going to put her in preschool this fall? Probably not. But I'm glad that the reason isn't because she wouldn't be able to handle the structure. We will have plenty of time for school. But she will only be my little girl for so long. In the meantime I am going to try to find ways to stimulate her mind not just her active body! We are starting a My Toddler Time class this weekend and I hopeful that it will present some good stimulation for all of us! Storytime was a great reminder to keep trying new things with toddlers. They are always changing and ready for new challenges! Good job Callie! I will try to keep up:)Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-84228317927504730362012-06-06T16:53:00.000-07:002012-06-06T16:53:15.557-07:00Recharging the Mom BatteryToday was my day to recharge and reset. My mom was thoughtful and present enough to know what I needed when I didn't. It was literally, the offer I was not allowed to refuse. And thank goodness. For the past week or so I have been experiencing a little bit of what it is like to be a single mother or a mother that has very little help. I told myself that I could handle it, because what other choice did I have? Well it ends up I can't. None of us can. We all need something. Some down time. Some time to think. Some time to be alone.<br />
So what did I do today? I went to breakfast and I didn't even look at the children's menu. I went shopping for me. Not for baby clothes or anything that said "T" on the label. And I didn't do it in record time. I went slowly. I went to a movie. That wasn't animated. I didn't let myself "get anything done." I didn't do laundry. I didn't cook. I didn't run errands. And then I came home to silence. The beauty of silence is one that I don't get to experience very often.<br />
It was day without screaming or tantrums. No one was kicking, biting and pushing me. It was a day without diapers and calls for Caillou or ElmoAbby or Bolt or calls for Daddy or any other demands. It was a day for me. Every mom needs one. Not wants, needs. We all need to find a way to do it. Even if its just for an hour or two. If we don't recharge and reset we are useless to our children, our husbands, our jobs or any other responsibilities we have. We will become the definition of burnt out.<br />
I knew how much I needed it when I was in tears this morning because I haven't slept more than two hours at a time for a week. And not more than 4 at a time for just over 11 weeks. And I was in tears when I was driving home alone from watching a movie. Alone. Because I couldn't remember the last time I was alone with thoughts of what I wanted and needed to refill my cup.<br />
We tell ourselves we can do it all because it has become expected of us to be SuperMom, SuperWife, SuperEmployee and it just isn't possible. We have been programmed to do it all and if we complain or feel a little less than totally fulfilled, we suck at it and we did this to ourselves. We need to be loved and respected and once in a while we need someone to take the reins from us. And if it is just on one sunday in May or on our birthday, well that just isn't good enough. If it is out of obligation it stings. We don't want to be a day on a calendar. We don't want to be thought of as "Oh damn. Its mom's birthday. I guess I better call her." We want to be a wednesday. Just because. Because sometimes we are lost and we don't know it until we look up from the carpools and the meal plans and the diapers and preschool and the hell that is bedtime.<br />
So for goodness sakes. Call your mother. Or text your mother. Or email your mother. Show her that you think of her and give her a break. Take her out for coffee or lunch or a glass of wine or shopping. Or just take the kids so she can have a nap or some quiet time to herself. And moms, if you don't get one of these offers, make one yourself. Tell your partners or anyone that can help what you need. Even if you don't know what you need, say something out loud otherwise no one will ever hear you. And it doesn't mean you don't love your kids or your husband. In fact it means the opposite.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-66049979652423987712012-05-16T10:10:00.003-07:002012-05-16T10:10:51.123-07:00Saying Goodbye to Mission CityYesterday, I dropped Callie off with my mom so I could take Lucia to her 2 month appointment. The crazy girl is almost 12 pounds and her head size is in the 96th percentile (but that's another post entirely!)<br />
Anyway, as I was driving down The Alameda to get to 880, a route I don't usually take leaving my mom's, I took a peek over at my old stomping ground, Mission City Coffee and there was no welcoming neon open sign only a For Lease sign. My heart sank. My home was for lease! A great chunk of my high school, college and post college years were spent at Mission. I met some of my best friends there, worked with them and spent so many late nights there. I met my husband there under less than romantic ideals. I will never forget it. He was sitting at a table wearing (what I was told later was) a rock climbing helmet inside the shop. I walked up to him and told him he was inside you and he could take the helmet off. To which he crazily replied "You never know!!" I walked away shrugging my shoulders, thinking "What a weirdo." Certainly couldn't have predicted that I would have married said weirdo and had two gorgeous daughters with him! Mission was our place. More often that not, we ate a majority of our meals there through college. Mission is where I discovered just how good a hot pastrami sandwich could be and so much more. Mission was home. <br />
When I really stop and think "What was Mission all about?" It was all about John Heller. John Heller was the original owner who found a werehouse type building and saw a place where people would come in and have a cup of coffee. But more than that, he saw a place where people would want to be. John taught me a lot. He showed me that it wasn't about your product, although a good product is important, it was about the connections you made with people over your product. People came in, I'd wager, more for the conversation and his warm Texan smile than the coffee. So much of himself and his family went into Mission and found a way to stay. From the names of his kids on the menu, Jeff's College education (a little dig to his son who just kept going back to school whether it was seminary or a phd program), Tom's 3 Pointer and Lizzie's Slice of Heaven (named for their daughter who sadly died much too young) to his wife's ridiculously good carrot cake and the delectable blueberry scones. Oh man how mad people got when we were out of scones and carrot cake! But I swear, the man must have had stock in 3M. Everything we did, we did on post it notes. If you wanted a job, you wrote your name and phone number on a post it. I wrote my information down for him no less than 5 times before he finally offered me a job. All of our coffee/food orders were on post it notes. The recipes in the back were probably on post it notes. I don't think you could find a person who didn't like John. I will never forget the day I was working with John and Valerie and John out of the blue asked in his Texas drawl "Hey Maria, how's your love life?" The way your dad would ask. We all laughed. I'm sure I told him something, who knows what was going on at the moment. Then he told us about caribou hunting. That was John. Always cared to give himself to you, to his customers, to his shop. <br />
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I have so many amazing memories of Mission. Meeting my college roommate Michelle there. Meeting Valerie there. And oh, the trouble we got into together! The costumes we wore to get better tips. Smoking outside on our breaks. Closing early because it was dead and well...because we needed to get to the bar! We would trade Valerie's coffee concoctions with the bartenders for one of their own concoctions. Working sunday mornings and snagging a scone hot out of the oven. It certainly wasn't for the tips. The sunday church crowd was notoriously stingy with tips. I remember working with Big Mike, Elisa, Alicia, Ricardo and so many others. Working with a girl ( I am killing myself trying to remember her name!) who was bipolar and dropped her medication into the chocolate one night. We scrambled trying to find them all! She refused to give pregnant women caffeinated beverages. A word to the wise, be very very nice to people in food service. They hold more power over you than you know! The regulars. Tony who gave me my first motorcycle ride. Bagel Boy. The first boy I was brave enough to give my number to, on a post it note (of course!) in a bag of bagels. Charlie. Kyle. Breck and Louis. Ike. Oh Ike. Somewhere we still have that CD. Jim and his harmonica. The weirdos: The Ugly Shirt Squad, who we found out later were undercover cops scoping out the seedy hotel across the street. Psycho Psychologist Man who hit on everything that moved with zero success. People ordering a non fat decaf latte that I dubbed "the why bother". The people that would be totally bitchy when asking "Ummm. I asked for extra hot?" And oh boy, did I give them extra hot! Pretty sure it was nowhere near an enjoyable coffee drink at that point. Bill's horrendous concoction, The Revolutionary. Ugh. Disgusting. Learning that Bill and I could not and should not work together. When I close my eyes I can see every item on that glass counter. The gooey cream cheese covered carrot cake, the sour cream coffee cake (my favorite!), the oat hockey pucks, the white chocolate biscotti by Shari, the vegan cookies, the chocolate cake, the bagels, muffins and crossaints from the morning delivery, the old school diner style coffee cups stacked precariously for people wanting drip coffee. The rickety chairs, the copper bar, the pile of cigarette butts outside, the milk crates that doubled for chairs and tables out back, the kitchen where you better believe I worked on my spanish, the dirty spoons, the clang of the espresso wands being cleaned out, the cash register that was always breaking, the dripping honey jar and the sugar in the raw sprawled out on the bar. <br />
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When John told us he had sold the shop we were crushed and sad. Who would the new owner be? What would he be like? And why didn't he tell us so we could pool our money and buy it? That would be my continuing business fantasy for years to come. It still crosses my mind. Today I would buy it and make it super family friendly like Bumble in Los Altos. Call it Mission City Mamas. Valerie would serve her amazing pastries and desserts, I could do my jams. After John sold it I stayed on for a couple of more years but it was never the same. The new owner took short cuts, the food wasn't as good, the love wasn't there. John was gone. The family dispersed. And eventually I did too. I went back a few times here and there but there were fewer and fewer familiar faces. A couple of years ago one of my fellow teachers and I needed to crank out some Letters of Rec. Ugh. God do I not miss those! She said to me "Have you ever been to Mission City?" I'm pretty sure I laughed. So we went. I was glad to see Jeff was still on the menu. And Michelle's concoction, The Katmandu was still there. More expensive of course, but she was still there. John's chalkboard was still there as well as all of his vintage prints and the coffee print I bought for him when I saw it in Berkeley. The roaster coated with coffee oil, the bags of green coffee beans. I hope someone buys it and makes it a home again. Please, do not let it become Starbucks. That would be the ultimate insult to John. Especially since they tried so hard to take it from him for so long by trying to buy him out or to try to buy out the surrounding businesses, the laundromat, the pawn shop, the convenience store. I find myself wishing I had taken more pictures of my time in Mission, but I suppose its like taking pictures of the rooms in your house. You don't think to do it when you live there because you think it will always be there. But there is one picture I have that my grandma took when she came to visit. She knew to look for me at the coffee shop rather than at home:) Where she saw me and Valerie looking like this:<br />
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And that is how I will remember Mission. With stars on our heads dancing to The Pixies and Ani Di Franco while people looked at us, shook their heads and smiled. </div>Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-8744406365516523052012-05-13T04:27:00.002-07:002012-05-13T04:27:27.730-07:00Becoming Mother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As Mother's Day approaches on the calendar, I find myself reflecting on my continuing metamorphorsis into that big word, "mother." It doesn't seem to be a change that ever ends, just like my daughters. They are always changing even if you can't see it happen before your eyes. There are lots of little changes and revolutions that are happening under the surface and then one day you look up and it all seems different. Sometimes I have little moments where I look at myself and my life and go all Keanu and just say "Woah." Or Talking Heads and ask "How did I get here?" But it is a beautiful place. It just took me some time to embrace it. I had a difficult road to embracing that word, mother, but there is no where else I would rather be. There is no one else I would rather be. <br />
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And of course I think about my own mother. I am blessed that we are so close and have been for many years. But it took on a new intensity when I was able to share that name, mother, with her. I understand so much more about her and why she did the things she did and does. I used to remark to Bill when I got home from work (pre-kids) and I would exclaim "I don't know how my mom did it! She worked all day, took care of her kids and put dinner on the table and I can barely do it without kids!" But now I know how she did it. Because you just do. Because it is important. A simple thing like a family having dinner together can mean so much.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD8dPgjq1_WyuT4dRSl3u-KdZM60gkeEQ5JtO1R-YkHHy3-9tMieE40x0ae2DZ_CUjyP8zvYk1r7R06oFNrV-uxWVE5man_yT3CJS6BQs4GiEqs1Nz9HlK7D3eakLDoKUJRYSdeJCLCg/s1600/photo(32).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGD8dPgjq1_WyuT4dRSl3u-KdZM60gkeEQ5JtO1R-YkHHy3-9tMieE40x0ae2DZ_CUjyP8zvYk1r7R06oFNrV-uxWVE5man_yT3CJS6BQs4GiEqs1Nz9HlK7D3eakLDoKUJRYSdeJCLCg/s320/photo(32).jpg" width="240" /></a>Some things feel/look like sacrifice when mothers do it, but there isn't really a resentment there because when it's for your kids it is important. That's why you make the tough calls. That's why you say to yourself "No, I don't think I am going to hang out with that person. I don't want them around my kids." I am happy to be the bitch that says "Nobody treats my daughter like that." Beware of the mama bear. It lives it every single mother. <br />
She used to always say "You are the best thing I've ever done." For years I didn't get it. And I knew it wasn't something I could ask her to explain. I would think to myself "She has done so many other things, how can this be the one thing she is most proud of?" But I get it. There is nothing else in your life that you pour more of yourself into than your children. And now I find myself thinking the same thing, that Callie and Lucia are hands down the most important work I have ever done. I used to define myself as my job, as a teacher. I still consider myself to be a teacher, my class size is just a little smaller now:) I couldn't imagine a time where I would actually choose to stay at home with my kids. But here I am and couldn't be happier. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q9lMzXW-_QdnBlMy3BVXE2E7C4WU8coSpEnDu-zcxq2yDjWKfeHQqzKHWJnnuqiRapH7ij0vr58n6uIhBVZe6-GzNfjV1FBOTlk5xepnBvbunU_r85hNOe1B9JKR1ymtg_eUXR__J64/s1600/IMG_5440.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q9lMzXW-_QdnBlMy3BVXE2E7C4WU8coSpEnDu-zcxq2yDjWKfeHQqzKHWJnnuqiRapH7ij0vr58n6uIhBVZe6-GzNfjV1FBOTlk5xepnBvbunU_r85hNOe1B9JKR1ymtg_eUXR__J64/s320/IMG_5440.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
There are times that you always need your mama. One thing I think about was the night we took Callie to the ER after she got bit by Milo. It was like I needed her to tell me what to do. I was going back and forth in my head "Do we need to go to the ER??" So I asked my mom and of course she said Yes. But I know now, that I already knew the answer. Advice is what you ask for, after all, when you already know the answer. Then she asked "Do you want me to come with you?" This time I gave the emphatic Yes! I know in retrospect that if she hadn't been there or even if Bill hadn't been there I would've known what to do, those instincts would have kicked in, but having her there to help me was so incredibly helpful. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJLhpT0oY44Uql4l74dEQqbFY_UepDTxGQyqwRVvsSvf1yNJLHsT0ztSXSdEcJgAS66dYLhBQzyz_DUeQ9QgLR5M19krooOCEWOYjHPYJpho-G3Tk8oL4Djo5qBlKm2dxaibe5NDTl7w/s1600/IMG_5551.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJLhpT0oY44Uql4l74dEQqbFY_UepDTxGQyqwRVvsSvf1yNJLHsT0ztSXSdEcJgAS66dYLhBQzyz_DUeQ9QgLR5M19krooOCEWOYjHPYJpho-G3Tk8oL4Djo5qBlKm2dxaibe5NDTl7w/s320/IMG_5551.JPG" width="320" /></a>Another moment I think about was when I was in labor with Callie and she came over to the house. At that point I had been in labor for close to 12 hours and I was at my lowest point. If there had been drugs I probably would have injected myself! She came over to check on me. I saw her and just wanted to collapse into her arms like I was a little girl again. Because let's face it, when we are giving birth we are at our strongest and our weakest. Crazy, unrelenting, mind numbing pain will do that to you. Sometimes you just need your mama to tell you that you can do it. Your doula can say it, your husband can say it, you doctor can say it, but when your mama says it, it's like money in the bank. Our mamas always know who we are at our core. They know how strong we are because they made us that way. <br />
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What does it mean to be a mother? I'm still figuring it out everyday. I always think about a quote in The Crow, a weird movie to find inspirational ideas on motherhood but you can find inspiration in all kinds of places! There is a scene when the main character tells a drug addicted mother "Mother is the word for God on the lips and hearts of little children." Anyone that has ever seen a panicked, hurt, sad or lonely child reach out and possibly scream at the top of their little lungs for mama knows that quote rings so very true. They may say "dada" as their first word but nothing can compare to the moment when they finally say "mama" No one can heal us like our mama. A kiss here, a hug there, a song and some encouraging words and there's nothing we can't do. <br />
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So a great big thank you to my mom and a happy mother's day to us all! <br />
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<br />Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-77997381166228200342012-04-23T07:42:00.002-07:002012-04-23T07:42:32.504-07:00Happy 2nd Birthday Callie!My dearest Callie,<br />
How is it possible that you are 2 today?! It
feels like just yesterday I was holding you for the first time, wide
eyed and amazed that you were with us, safe and sound.<br />
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There
are so many things that make me thankful for you. Thank you for giving
me a new name. And it is my most favorite name. Mama. You will always be
my baby. Even though there is now another baby in our house, you are
always my first and because of that you will always hold a special place
in my heart. You made us all into a family and for that we will always
be grateful my little love. You have changed us all in so many ways.
Thank you for showing me the wonder in the world all over again. Thank
you for showing me "beeps" and counting "1,2,1,2,1" and exclaiming with
glee and reminding me that we don't need to rush so much. Thank you for
showing me how to be silly and dance and not care what other people
think so much. <br />
<br />
Callie, you are a sight to behold. You
are wild and a little bit crazy but I wouldn't have you any other way.
There is good reason that I call you my monkey! I kind of love that you
make other moms that we don't know at the playground a tad nervous. I
will be honest, there are days that you scare even me, and I don't scare
easily, especially not now! We've been through a lot you and I. I
always joke with friends that you "hazed" us in the beginning. You were a
tough nut to crack but it has made our tender moments all the sweeter. <br />
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I
love that you are about as far away from girlie as possible. I love
that you are your own grrl. And I hope that never changes. I hope you
never feel pressured to be more of a "girl." You already are and you are
perfect. You are you and you are phenomenal. You are strong and brave
and I couldn't be prouder to be anyone's mama. To me you will always be
what your name means, the most beautiful girl in the world. So happy
birthday my sweet Callie Helena. I can hardly wait to see what you do
this year! I LOVE YOU!<br />
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But let's make fewer trips to the ER ok? Otherwise your mama might just have a heart attack:)<br />
<br />Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-23098276952043944122012-04-15T09:33:00.000-07:002012-04-15T09:33:24.137-07:00The Mommy Wars Get PoliticalI rarely talk about anything remotely connected to a presidential campaign on this blog but when Hilary Rosen spoke about Mrs. Romney saying "she had never worked a day in her life" that puts it in the realm of this blog. Her words were poorly chosen, that is for sure. I imagine her career is pretty much kaput at this point. It did surprise me that there was such a knee jerk reaction to her comments. After all she was talking about a candidate's wife who I assume would in some ways influence her husband's view on what women need in this recession in terms of jobs and support. So I can see both sides of it. I can see the whole put your hand on your hip put on a scowl and exclaim "What did you just say?" but I also see where she was trying to go with it. Instead of it being a conversation about how to get more jobs in the hands of women and their families it became about mommies and the war we wage against each other. <br />
It is sad to me that the mommy wars never seems to abate. And it is a war fought for and by women. We are the ones that fire the shots and take the beatings. We are only hurting ourselves. It seems that we haven't gotten very far in the last 50 years. Why are we still fighting each other over the same petty things?<br />
Work is work whether it is paid or not. All mothers are working mothers. Cliche? You bet. But it is true. I know that I am very lucky and not the norm that I am able to stay home with my girls. And I am so thankful for that opportunity. But it is not without sacrifice. We have made some very lean cuts to our budget in the last two years and will make even bigger ones this year so that I can stay home with Lucia and Callie. We don't go out to eat very often and if we do its to a place like Chili's and boy oh boy it is exciting! We don't go on big vacations. I won't be putting Callie in preschool like I had planned this year but we will wait a year. We have gotten rid of as many luxuries as we can to whittle down our monthly expenses. It is going to be a tough year. <br />
And yes, I could have gone back to work in the fall to be more comfortable financially. But at what cost? I would have lost this precious time with my girls and most likely a very good teacher would have been laid off because of my return. Now of course I could very well get screwed when I come back, since now I have lost my seniority and tenure that took years to build up. But I decided that my job of mother was more important at this point in our family's lives. And I know myself well enough that I would have been miserable in both realms. When I was at work I would feel guilty about not being with the girls and when I was with the girls I would feel guilty about not grading essays or creating dynamic lessons for my students. At this point in my life I am not willing to divide myself so completely when with a little frugality I can focus my attention on my girls.<br />
I take my hat off to the working moms out there. On the days I was subbing last year I really struggled when I came home to deal with Callie in a positive way. I was tired from working and I got home to get her just in time for her cranky time of day. Parenting still occurs after the work day or at least it should. Hopefully all the parenting isn't being outsourced to day care providers. But there were days where I wished I could! I remembered feeling like I had two jobs and they were both hard in their own ways. While I worked during the day it was mentally taxing while my job with Callie was physically taxing. By the time bedtime rolled around I was a wreck. Of course, being pregnant and hormonal didn't help! <br />
Now do I think Mrs. Romney gave up vacations and other luxuries? Doubtful. The Romneys certainly aren't what you would call middle class! I would guess they had a cook and a nanny to help her with her 5 boys. But regardless it was their family's choice and it really isn't anyone else's business to judge who she is as a woman and what her worth is. Sure she is a public figure because of her husband's career choice but then let's make it about him.<br />
Every year the articles come out about what a stay at home mother would make if she was paid. Those articles are interesting but they also reinvigorate the mommy wars. Take a look at the comments page from those articles. It is as ugly as it gets. Working moms think Stay at Home moms are lazy and the stay at home moms think the working moms are heartless. Everyone loses. I just want to go all Rodney King on the situation and plead "Can't we all just get along?" We all work. It is all hard. And we all want to be respected, if not compensated, for the work that we do. Can we just leave it at that?Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-21065734531219512252012-04-13T20:30:00.001-07:002012-04-13T20:30:26.582-07:00Lucia: 1 MonthIt is hard to believe that we have had Miss Lucia with us for a whole month already!<br />
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I can't fathom how fast this is all going. It felt so agonizingly slow with Callie. But, everything has been as different as possible it seems from how it was with Callie.<br />
I don't mind the sleepless nights too much this time around. Would it be nice to sleep for longer than 2 hours at a time? Sure. But my time with Lucia when the sun is sleeping is sometimes the only one on one time I get with my little miss. I also know the sleepless nights will end. When you are going through it with your first you are totally and utterly convinced that you will never, ever, ever sleep again.<br />
Miss Lucia is generally a mellow lady. Again, completely opposite of her sister. And thank the heavens she is! Two active girls might just kill me. She cries for food and when she is gassy but that is about it. She nurses so much better than Callie did. Last time around I probably should have bought stock in Lansinoh for how often I was using the lanolin and warm compresses.<br />
I am just loving on her so much it is crazy. I love being with her. I especially love the alone time we get when Callie is with Grandma Tere. It is peaceful and quiet and I just get to be with her and relish the moments we have together. I feel like I rushed Callie to get older and move past each stage too fast that this time I am almost trying to will time to stand still so I can be in each moment. <br />
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But that is not to say the past month has not been without its trials. When she got sick at 10 days old and was vomiting and refusing to eat this mama was scared out of her wits. But we got very lucky. She was ok and gained weight. I'm pretty sure the whole ordeal took a few years off my life. So we've definitely been a little more reclusive this time around with visitors as a result, but we are slowly coming out of our shell with park playdates for Callie and visits at the house.So hopefully we will see all of you soon! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxlWyCRaUs7jOic95u_LwBHpwRRZ2MXP2GwCHpjL-jrfZkfu8Aaz-_VUUftO8Z1HoL3KIJtTPDVS_pqtUTg0l1397nxQ-X7URoXG6Pmlq_YJRgGI2vy3wfxAhj1RSDH3XdHmagoHNUEw/s1600/DSC_1423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxlWyCRaUs7jOic95u_LwBHpwRRZ2MXP2GwCHpjL-jrfZkfu8Aaz-_VUUftO8Z1HoL3KIJtTPDVS_pqtUTg0l1397nxQ-X7URoXG6Pmlq_YJRgGI2vy3wfxAhj1RSDH3XdHmagoHNUEw/s320/DSC_1423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-26550356007985868212012-04-11T15:51:00.001-07:002012-04-11T15:51:30.142-07:00The Mama Drama Guide to Baby Gear: Updated ListSince we have more friends having their first babies in the next few months I thought I would revisit my Baby Gear list with some additions. The original post is <a href="http://welcometothemamadrama.blogspot.com/2011/02/mama-drama-guide-to-baby-gear.html">here </a>and I still agree with all of it! With a few additions:)<br />
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<i>Blankets</i><br />
You will use a lot of them! People love giving new parents knitted blankets which is a really nice idea and it's awesome that people want to make you something, but honestly, those blankets are pretty much the worst type of blanket to use with a new baby. They aren't terrible warm or portable (i.e. won't fit in a diaper bag) and they are just too easy for a little one to get their fingers, hands and arms stuck in between those stitches. I'm sure when the girls are older they will work just fine. But the best blankets are simple cotton, fleece or flannel blankets. I had a good friend make some gorgeous flannel blankets for both my girls and they are still my go to blankets. We got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zutano-Velour-Sherpa-Blanket-Owls/dp/B004P1IW96/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3NDD1EK3F4B7K&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">this</a> super soft blanket this time around and we love it! Callie loves the owls and putting it on her sister:)<br />
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<i>Diaper covers</i><br />
Since we have used cloth diapers for Callie for the last two years and we are also using them for Lucia, we have a lot of these! This is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bummis-Super-Brite-Diaper-Pounds/dp/B0012SCANO/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IUBFBN2MV40LD&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">one</a> type we have a lot of made by Bummis. They aren't too expensive (comparatively speaking) and they are quite durable. They stand up to lots and lots of washings, which is a little surprsing given the velcro. The only downside is when the baby is still little (like Lucia) the bottom of the diaper cover is too bulky for their clothes. Enter the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Wrap-Snap-Hoot-Size/dp/B005KPXSQ8/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I12OGVPJCSNBE2&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">Thirsties Duo Wrap</a>. It has snaps on the bottom to shorten the material. Very handy!<br />
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<i>Diaper pail</i><br />
We looked at the Diaper Genie but didn't like the fact that you have to buy their brand of bags to use with them. A friend told me about the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Diaper-Champ-Deluxe/dp/B002IWYXH4/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1334183699&sr=1-1">Diaper Champ</a> and that's what we use. The only thing I don't like about it is that if you are using cloth diapers it gets full fairly fast. But you can use whatever kind of bag you want. We found a washable, reusable <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kissas-Antibacterial-Pail-Liner-White/dp/B0037NXP18/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I5R0KCLZ1FTBQ&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">liner</a> that we are using with the cloth diapers. The diaper champ seals in the odor pretty well, which is the goal:)<br />
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<i>Wipe warmer</i><br />
I didn't opt for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Warm-Glow-Wipe-Warmer/dp/B000CNOIQ2/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3OQAIEQT45V7V&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">this</a> the first time around but figured I would give it a shot this time, especially since Callie hates getting changed. It has made diaper changes go quite a bit smoother. Wish I had bought it from day 1. Is it something you absolutely NEED? No, but it is nice to have around.<br />
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<i>Boppy</i><br />
I wrote about the boppy last time around. I would just add that it is nice to have two. So I have one in the living room where I feed Lucia during the day and one in our bedroom where I feed her at night. That way I don't have to wake up Callie when Lucia is feeding.<br />
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<i>Pacifier </i><br />
Callie was all about the pacifier. Lucia, so far, isn't that into them. The ones we liked for the early days are the ones by Nuk. The Soothie ones seem like a good idea because they are supposedly shaped like a nipple but it is tough for the little ones to keep them in their mouth, which is kinda the point! When they get older, my favorites are the MAM pacifiers. Good shape, super durable and fun designs.<br />
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<i>Swing </i><br />
I wrote about the swing last time. We don't have one this time around but if I was going to have one I would opt for one that has a smaller footprint like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Precious-Planet-Space-Saver/dp/B0033RIE28/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I399RJDSB6Y7BG&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">this </a>one. Because good god, you house is going to be taken over by baby stuff anyway, try to keep it small if you can!<br />
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<i>Video Monitor</i><br />
We had a video monitor last time, but got rid of it, because...well...we weren't necessarily planning on another baby! This time we went for the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Digital-Video-Monitor-Screen/dp/B004VL2VRO/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2U6IMTYFYZP2Y&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">Motorola Monitor</a> and it is amazing! I love that you can move the camera to see around the room. That will come in handy with two kids in a room when we get to that point. I also really like the two way microphone so I can talk to Callie.<br />
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<i>Wet Bags</i><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Diaper-Wet-Bag/dp/B0034UGFDY/ref=br_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I36NO995B321XV&colid=3BB2Q19JI1Q9L">These </a>are a must if you are using cloth diapers or if you are using disposables and you end up changing your little one in a place where there isn't a trash can nearby. Trust me. It happens more than you think it will! These also come in handy for wet clothes or swimming suits. They come in all different sizes, so if you want to keep wipes separate from diapers you can.<br />
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<i>Nursing pads</i><br />
You won't necessarily need<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-20265-Disposable-Nursing-60-Count/dp/B002TLU5JO/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1334184393&sr=1-1"> these,</a> but they are handy to have around just in case. I didn't really need them with Callie but I have really needed them with Lucia! They also sell reusable/washable ones if that is more up your alley.<br />
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<i>Vaporizer</i><br />
I can't even tell you how often we have used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vicks-Warm-Mist-Humidifier-Shut-Off/dp/B001FWXKTA/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1334184465&sr=1-1">vaporizer </a>with Callie. Seriously. Get one.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-80725279657043531722012-03-27T00:11:00.003-07:002012-03-27T00:11:59.173-07:00Why I Chose To Encapsulate My PlacentaAs most readers of this blog know, I had a <a href="http://welcometothemamadrama.blogspot.com/2010/08/darkness.html">very tough time</a> with postpartum depression after the birth of my first daughter, Callie. This time around, with Lucia, I was determined to stack the deck in my favor as much as possible. When I was pregnant with Callie I came across t<a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908442,00.html">his column</a> in Time Magazine. You know, back when I had the time to frivolously flip through magazines! I found it quite fascinating and shared it with Bill, who thought it was pretty dang gross. Through the rest of the pregnancy I toyed with the idea of placenta encapsulation. And sure it sounded a little weird but in the end I didn't do anything about it. I will never forget the moment when the nurses showed me Callie's placenta. They told me it was verrry healthy, but I will admit it looked pretty gross and I felt glad that I hadn't really done anything about encapsulation. But oh...later on I wished I had! When I was in the throes of feeling so tired, overwhelmed and like my baby hated me I wished I had a do over. I will also admit that I allowed Bill's squeamishness about the topic sway me a little more than I should have. But a big part of me naively said "I'm not prone to depression so I'm sure I'll be fine." Wrong. Luckily for me, I didn't have PPD as bad as some other people I met in my journey back to me but it was definitely a rough road.<br />
So this time I wasn't going to let anyone deter me. I found someone who works with our doula and talked to her about encapsulation. It was cheaper than I had anticipated, around $200. That may sound like a lot to some, but when I think of the days and weeks where I didn't want to touch Callie, let alone take care of her and love her that is a tiny price to pay. When I think of how hard it was for Bill to see me turn into someone else who couldn't function it isn't even a question of whether I should do it.<br />
One of the reasons I was so intent on being induced when I was week past my due date is that I was worried the placenta would go bad. Placentas do go bad, parts of it turn gray and it doesn't protect the baby as well as it should. After I delivered Lucia and the placenta we had to get sneaky. Some hospitals and in turn, nurses, are not very much in favor of giving placentas to patients since it is technically a human waste product. But our doula and nurse knew their way around the system. So we basically had to sneak my placenta out of the hospital in the dark of night! Once all of the other nurses were out of the room they double bagged the placenta and put it on ice. Bill wrapped it in a towel he had brought from home and we stored it in the car overnight until the lady could come pick it up in the morning. Bill made the exchange in the morning and the next day she came back and gave us the finished product. The placenta is dried, ground and put into capsules. Even with being a week past my due date, they got more than the usual amount of pills from my placenta. She told us the average is to get between 100-120 capsules from a good placenta, but she got around 150 from mine.<br />
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So why encapsulate? It helps normalize your hormones to help beat the "baby blues". And don't get me started on that little phrase. Doesn't do it justice at all, but that's a different story!<br />
You lose most of the hormones you have been storing up during pregnancy during the birth process. Its a bit like being a drug addict or a smoker and going cold turkey. The capsules help with the transition so you aren't going cold turkey with your hormones. Placenta capsules also are supposed to speed up and enrich your milk supply and help in postpartum healing, increase energy and help with iron deficiency.You can take the pills anytime you are feeling run down or need extra energy because it is your hormones and works with your body chemistry. You can also save the pills for menopause when hormonal changes happen again, as long as you keep them refrigerated. Not sure if I would be able to hold onto something in my fridge for another 30+ years, but people do it! <br />
So is it working? I think so. In terms of milk supply it has definitely worked. My milk came in a full 3-4 days earlier this time around. It is hard to tell how much of what I feel emotionally this time around is because I've been through it once before so I know what the warning signs are but I feel so incredibly different this time. It took such a long time for me to connect with Callie but I bonded with Lucia almost instantly. Of course I am still overwhelmed at times with a toddler and a newborn but nothing like what I experienced with Callie. I know the real test will be when Bill goes to work to see how I handle all of the stress. So I guess, time will tell!<br />
So there you have it. I hope that fewer people will be grossed out by the idea and give it a chance or at least respect those of us that have chosen to encapsulate. I hope fewer people will have the image of a new mom ripping into her own placenta with blood running down her chin. <br />
And when you stop to think about how many new moms have suffered in silence with PPD and how many children have been harmed because we call it the "baby blues" and tell new moms to get over it already, it really is a small price to pay. I for one am more than happy to pop some pills to make sure my girls and our family are safe and happy.Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-13384326134842208732012-03-24T09:39:00.001-07:002012-03-24T09:51:44.478-07:00Toddler TroubleI really honestly thought that I would be struggling with the newborn in terms of our transitions. But how wrong I was! My real struggle is with Callie. The first couple of days we were home with Lucia were decent. But lately her tantrums have taken on new life. Our bedtime ritual, which was once my favorite part of my day with her, have become something I detest. She used to be so great about putting her toys away after her bath but all week she has flat out refused. At first I was trying to use storytime to entice her to put her toys away but even that didn't work. And I hate the idea of taking away reading from her. Definitely not the message I want to send about literacy. She kicks, screams and hits at Bill when he tries to help get her changed. She has probably had more timeouts in the past week than she has ever before. <br />
I know in my head that the tantrums and the new lines in the sand are all about her being frustrated at the new changes in the house, namely the fact that she can't have me all of the time the way she used to. She loves to ask "Up? Up?" at the exact moment I sit down to nurse Lucia. Nevermind that my hands and lap were free for a good hour before that moment. Then when the answer is no, down goes her whole body smacking her head repeatedly on the hardwood floors. Pretty much my only saving grace these days is that she goes to my mom's on Mondays and Fridays. It is really the only peace we have at this point. I feel bad that I feel relieved when she is gone but it is just so hard to balance an active toddler and a mellow newborn. It could be worse of course, Lucia could be as high maintenance a baby as Callie was! I am really trying to imagine how I am going to handle this when Bill goes back to work and I really can't even picture it! I hope that eventually Callie will adjust to the new changes. I know I just have to stand my ground. They don't call it the "terrible twos" for nothing!<br />
Otherwise, I am just going to have to find some shifty scientist who will agree to clone me!<br />
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Anyone with two munchkins have any words of advice? This gets better, right?Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8202736046919573737.post-50056371504564036342012-03-20T15:37:00.000-07:002012-03-24T12:01:50.718-07:00Lucia's Birth Story<style>
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<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbltywhUWnMmjrXJSe_rpzaqS-WTjfLigITnQm8fio6Qqom9YWAVO-x3yf6_y0iY3pwWYc4oOxQfO70J_O0NCIwkx5Fc5D3zt6mg4xWNa8CjJhOQF07AJbKUl2yL3PtYI5KM7uvSsYSt4/s1600/IMG_3243.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbltywhUWnMmjrXJSe_rpzaqS-WTjfLigITnQm8fio6Qqom9YWAVO-x3yf6_y0iY3pwWYc4oOxQfO70J_O0NCIwkx5Fc5D3zt6mg4xWNa8CjJhOQF07AJbKUl2yL3PtYI5KM7uvSsYSt4/s320/IMG_3243.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Our little Lucia certainly took her time in coming, but when
she was ready…oh baby look out! I was a week overdue and feeling a mixture of
emotions. A big part of me didn’t want it to happen because I remembered the
pain of bringing Callie into the world and all the stress and problems we had
once we were home with her. But another part of me was just so dang tired of
being pregnant. Luckily this time around I was a good 15 pounds lighter than I
was with Callie so the joint pain was nowhere near as bad. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On March 13<sup>th</sup> I had an appointment with Lin to
talk about induction. We scheduled it for the evening of March 14<sup>th</sup>.
Partially because I figured “hey, what’s one more day?” And because Bill and I
had one last date night scheduled. Silly, I know but we had wanted to see Hugo
for quite some time, so that’s what we did. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After my appointment with Lin (and my cervix check) I had
been feeling a little “off”. Not what I would consider contractions or crampy
but just kind of icky. We went to the movie and about 20 minutes in my
contractions started. They weren’t bad, not too much worse than my Braxton
Hicks so I stayed. About half way through the movie, Bill looked over at me and
realized what was happening and started holding my hand. They still weren’t too
strong, so we stayed. By the time the movie ended they were getting stronger so
home we went. There was one particularly bad one that hit right at the moment
Bill went over the giant speed bump by our house. I’m pretty sure I will never
look at the speed bump the same ever again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went inside the house and told my mom, who had been
watching Callie, that Callie should probably go home with her tonight. That was
our plan for the hospital stay. Her bag had been packed and at Grandma Tere’s
house for weeks at this point. Just before she got ready to go with Grandma,
the little bugger put her fingers into the Vicks Vapo Steam reservoir in her
humidifier and of course, put her fingers in her mouth while my back was turned
to get her blanket and stuffed animals to go to Grandma’s house. I turned
around because she was screaming with her mouth open. For a second I couldn’t
figure out what had happened but then I caught a whiff of that unmistakable
smell of Vicks. We tried to get her to drink some water to flush it out, but
she refused. She did take some milk though. In the meantime, I was weathering
the contractions that were coming
about 8 minutes apart and Bill was researching camphor poisioning to make sure
both Callie and I didn’t both need
to go to the hospital. Luckily she hadn’t consumed enough for it be a problem
so off to grandma’s she went after we watched her for a half hour or so to make
sure she was ok. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We called Tara, our doula to let her know what was
happening. By this point it was about 10:30pm and the contractions were coming
fast, about 6 minutes apart. I got in bed since that was where I had labored
for quite some time with Callie so that I could rest in between the
contractions. Then the contractions were coming harder and harder. We called
Tara again and told her we needed her to come. On our last phone call she had
told us that even though it was the second baby, we had time but at any time if
I wanted her there she would be there. On this phone call I told her I needed
her. I was so happy to see her walk in the house. Bill was keeping me hydrated
and held my hand through the contractions. We moved to the bathroom, the
toilet, even though its not glamorous is the best place for me to labor. It
takes some of the pressure of my joints and supports my back a bit. By this
point I was pretty much in agony and didn’t know how much more I could take.
This labor was so very different from Callie. Callie’s labor was so long and
took a while to ramp up while this one came up so fast and hard it was
difficult to deal with. Tara helped me with my breathing and massaged me to
relax me in between contractions. After a few contractions in the bathroom my
back started hurting pretty badly, so we thought that maybe she had turned
posterior, the way Callie was. Tara told me we were going to walk to the
bedroom and she would rock my pelvis to get her to turn. But the minute I stood
up I knew it was too late. I told her I couldn’t. She checked me and said “Ok,
time to go. Let’s get in the car.” It suddenly became almost impossible not to
push. Tara gave me some breathing techniques to keep from pushing in the car. I
was sitting on a pillow in the car when we got going. By this time it was about
1:20 am or so. Bill drove like a bat outta hell to the hospital and thank god
he did. Again, totally opposite of Callie’s birth! A few minutes into the drive
I was working so hard at not pushing with every ounce of strength in me when I
felt something come out. I was terrified it was the baby. I told Bill “Something
just came out and I don’t know what it is. And I don’t want to look.” But I
reached down to touch whatever it was and it felt a bit like a sticky balloon.
When I looked at my hands there was no blood so I figured and hoped to heaven
that it wasn’t the baby. We found out later it was my bag of membranes fully in
tact. Which apparently doesn’t happen all that often. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got to the hospital in record time since Bill was driving
around 90mph and running red lights. Luckily we were driving at 1am not at rush hour! We parked
and the nurse asked if I could walk to the ER entrance. Uhh. That’s a no. I
didn’t even know how I was going to get from the car seat to the wheelchair.
They lifted me into the wheelchair and the nurse ran us down the longest
hallway known to man. The baby was crowning in the wheelchair. Again I was
bearing down so hard to keep the baby in. We got to the room and I opened my
eyes and I saw Bethany Monte! She was the midwife who had delivered Callie. She
had since left the practice and was a nurse. I couldn’t believe she was there.
I was so happy to see her. I almost started crying.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizblylZkgnEO1Rj6ycmEPdmDTLPqysSuaCNTceqPmSNCcP5zfhuY79gaxsgq84n_ZTAhgwk5pX_SHAIaTUJV9blVwzG_mOLiS8T7GJodbNryTtz7buX7iIJ3YaBP5_rPM-bRUcf7K7EJA/s1600/IMG_0570.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizblylZkgnEO1Rj6ycmEPdmDTLPqysSuaCNTceqPmSNCcP5zfhuY79gaxsgq84n_ZTAhgwk5pX_SHAIaTUJV9blVwzG_mOLiS8T7GJodbNryTtz7buX7iIJ3YaBP5_rPM-bRUcf7K7EJA/s320/IMG_0570.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That
look right there? That is "Oh, thank god we didn't have the baby in the
car, or the parking lot, or the wheelchair, or the hallway..."<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They lifted me out of the
wheelchair, my water broke, got me onto the bed, 2 pushes and out she came. There
was a point after the first push when Bethany told me “Maria. Stop! Look at me!
Look at me!” I stopped and she reminded me “Short pushes.” I must have been
tearing pretty strongly and she knew there was no time for cutting. Thinking about it later, I am pretty
sure that her voice was the only voice that would have made me stop. We were
probably in the labor and delivery room less than 5 minutes before Lucia was
out!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLf1kv35bHxQg5GuU6dgvvKbWkZ4xrhddos9gksgrtU_JItJ9kfU7x-OipjogQRYEGQvkLCCwnsT434GvnAuT6Ib123ntA1OA5YlaI6-vRfA4inZO6hgcKNfdZO3ECqL1M7P8AhANclo/s1600/IMG_0597.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLf1kv35bHxQg5GuU6dgvvKbWkZ4xrhddos9gksgrtU_JItJ9kfU7x-OipjogQRYEGQvkLCCwnsT434GvnAuT6Ib123ntA1OA5YlaI6-vRfA4inZO6hgcKNfdZO3ECqL1M7P8AhANclo/s320/IMG_0597.jpg" width="240" /></a> <br />
I was so glad she wasn’t born in the car or the hallway and it is crazy to
think just how close we came to that! She was born at 1:39am. So we drove from
San Jose to Los Gatos and gave birth in the space of 20 minutes! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After she was out they put her on my chest immediately to
get my uterus to contract because I had quite a bit of bleeding, just like with
Callie. It was nice this time to have her on me the whole time, unlike with
Callie because she had meconium and they had to make sure her lungs were clear.
Bill got to cut the cord this time too. They stitched me up and got Lucia
latched, bathed and weighed. She weighed
7 pounds 14 ounces. Much different than the 8 pounds 6 ounces they were
predicting!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTAWRzmnarglMVXe6DzXScdvy9S3SNFL7yByKOzcCBVveFeiGN0LplgeU22gDiQ_6VMYzk1ESjo6_ISfhBqRl0txfcIOB_5HxfL2zuYeHGr4aRBujGIXkoywi7Bv31dfH7zIP_dIST9A/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTAWRzmnarglMVXe6DzXScdvy9S3SNFL7yByKOzcCBVveFeiGN0LplgeU22gDiQ_6VMYzk1ESjo6_ISfhBqRl0txfcIOB_5HxfL2zuYeHGr4aRBujGIXkoywi7Bv31dfH7zIP_dIST9A/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymuNzGRGS_EZ90w4RPRKoiqOgKWh1UWs22R-otJ1UyAZhj7rRwlDNLkN9zJhQbIlvhCZEBkgH2O8PWsD_pnCO2v3xg4bBrkXquZtzO8m0lMOC4-ulT0y-moLjn9ZSNdtm6Q26cBgx17I/s1600/IMG_0607.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymuNzGRGS_EZ90w4RPRKoiqOgKWh1UWs22R-otJ1UyAZhj7rRwlDNLkN9zJhQbIlvhCZEBkgH2O8PWsD_pnCO2v3xg4bBrkXquZtzO8m0lMOC4-ulT0y-moLjn9ZSNdtm6Q26cBgx17I/s320/IMG_0607.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill got to cut the cord this time! <br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did have some trouble with how much blood I had lost. When
they helped me to the bathroom some time later I fainted. Out cold for a good
minute or so. I awoke to smelling salts and room full of nurses. Talk about a
confusing moment! One of my nurses later in our hospital stay summed up
smelling salts quite perfectly. “ They wake you up, but they wake you up
fighting.” So true! Its basically ammonia and it does wake you up that is for
sure! I continued to have trouble with fainting for another day or so, but we
finally got it under control with lots of fluids and food. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second time around, everything is so different. It is nice
to be in a place in my head to know what to do, to not be so overwhelmed with a
baby. Nursing has gone so much better this time around. I am healing so much
faster as well. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I gained less weight, or
that my body just knows what to do this time around or the fact that my labor
was so much shorter so my body wasn’t as exhausted or maybe it is just a
combination of them all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLrMo_9SQH5NZWqOI0ESb0H-mJSKJellq0mB9JVSOL2bDiXZilI-RH1nacSbXbjGomVhQOaojpOlc8aAMTxIQG58C6vHeZr1njtSLYVGWJlKldRyD39gYqjgN17KNcy4movyFvMnzpNg/s1600/IMG_0661.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLrMo_9SQH5NZWqOI0ESb0H-mJSKJellq0mB9JVSOL2bDiXZilI-RH1nacSbXbjGomVhQOaojpOlc8aAMTxIQG58C6vHeZr1njtSLYVGWJlKldRyD39gYqjgN17KNcy4movyFvMnzpNg/s320/IMG_0661.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby toes!<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrL3kaPAcechRfM7uxTNCJCCaYbF1Aeigmdjo9o0W63VapTs-m5-Yc8U4H_U5ZqIzLOjRtB0ytS5Mt1J5SaOXvRHlHH26Nv6bjKSWI-64AjPDLsjwvsuINiNAAFOfSOUHuZ1m6-WnLoY/s1600/IMG_0686.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrL3kaPAcechRfM7uxTNCJCCaYbF1Aeigmdjo9o0W63VapTs-m5-Yc8U4H_U5ZqIzLOjRtB0ytS5Mt1J5SaOXvRHlHH26Nv6bjKSWI-64AjPDLsjwvsuINiNAAFOfSOUHuZ1m6-WnLoY/s320/IMG_0686.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bath time<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcNl3w5gBDYimPsvAxOpcFgDTfmxgF4ycXmc7MNY83QCmMGphStTYrFtU3pCAAR6pL8Uji3XPzns-oStpo1Apu1v4-vmw08ShOd13wNBiq6qkvPiOY68FZna4FS7FcKB392-p1nMZio8/s1600/IMG_0712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcNl3w5gBDYimPsvAxOpcFgDTfmxgF4ycXmc7MNY83QCmMGphStTYrFtU3pCAAR6pL8Uji3XPzns-oStpo1Apu1v4-vmw08ShOd13wNBiq6qkvPiOY68FZna4FS7FcKB392-p1nMZio8/s320/IMG_0712.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBilDHYe76wMBuX-efiXfBZle8F1QM8DVSBgEOQFvwABddSpQ3QN3tfvCkwVQnJB4MdaugSgHfxfSYgSO1Nr3mfGSngfvBPpgTkB30HOLSLpKqGB9abJEdPi_GXPcljFZ-8JeN3ycGDbk/s1600/IMG_3226.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBilDHYe76wMBuX-efiXfBZle8F1QM8DVSBgEOQFvwABddSpQ3QN3tfvCkwVQnJB4MdaugSgHfxfSYgSO1Nr3mfGSngfvBPpgTkB30HOLSLpKqGB9abJEdPi_GXPcljFZ-8JeN3ycGDbk/s320/IMG_3226.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie meets Cia for the first time<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8nfb3XqOd6hkX-WTxH2kTbbeJY4QYrNI80FEmGZa0-n1Ig1TdfdHhILmx5c6LFkuqDLFpirF7G-T17ciVDIOjY335rLlqMpo2miv5PsrahklyVkIkHHvTIvKjnpockXh7W5gpdqYKSA/s1600/IMG_3228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8nfb3XqOd6hkX-WTxH2kTbbeJY4QYrNI80FEmGZa0-n1Ig1TdfdHhILmx5c6LFkuqDLFpirF7G-T17ciVDIOjY335rLlqMpo2miv5PsrahklyVkIkHHvTIvKjnpockXh7W5gpdqYKSA/s320/IMG_3228.jpg" width="239" /></a><br />
<br />
All of our nurses were phenomenal. We only had one problem
and that was with the pediatrician who came to check on Lucia. He was worried
about her weight loss. We were still way under the 10% weight loss that is
considered acceptable but he thought she was dehydrated. He seemed to confuse
10 ounces with 10% weight loss which is obviously a huge difference! He advised
us to supplement nursing with pedialyte!? Pedialyte, the stuff I don’t even
like giving my almost two year old unless she really really needs it. Luckily
one of our nurses overheard what he was saying and clearly didn’t agree since I
had so much colostrum coming in, it wasn’t like my milk wasn’t going to come in
super fast. She couldn’t really argue with a dr but she could put us in touch
with the lactation consultant since she technically doesn’t work for the
hospital. She put us at ease and we all agreed that pedialyte was a really dumb
move. Especially since he was advocating it because some people don’t like to
supplement with formula. So pedialyte is better? No thank you. The great thing
about the LC is that she was looking at the whole picture. Lucia had had several
diapers on her first day so that was most likely where the weight loss had come
from. The pediatrician came back again before we left, clearly annoyed that we
hadn’t taken his advice but we really could care less. Especially when he was
checking Lucia and calling her “Him” and talking about “Why are you crying, I
didn’t circumcise you!” We didn’t say a thing, basically just waiting for him
to realize his mistake. He eventually did and gave some lame excuse. I really
wanted to say “I’m pretty sure female circumcision is illegal in the United
States.” But we really just wanted to see how big of a hole he could dig
himself.<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We brought Lucia home on Friday and Callie came over a few
hours later. I am so happy to say that Callie is doing really well with Lucia so far.
I was kind of expecting the worst but she loves her little sister. She loves to
smile at her and talk about what she is doing and kiss her on the forehead. It
is pretty dang sweet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;">
<tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_RZTE6-6A2z7UI2hX6bPl1QHhe9nZN7FWXpYgMLmoIOpx0s-gBT4bf1or94PniHNjYgCaUnmStEHEnJs-gcCq3LPhZi0fcXaCiID213IOiuzRNOyr7xrzMB08QOkphUxGTFl_L2phME/s1600/IMG_0721.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_RZTE6-6A2z7UI2hX6bPl1QHhe9nZN7FWXpYgMLmoIOpx0s-gBT4bf1or94PniHNjYgCaUnmStEHEnJs-gcCq3LPhZi0fcXaCiID213IOiuzRNOyr7xrzMB08QOkphUxGTFl_L2phME/s320/IMG_0721.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleepy girl<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrlf8hX792idD9anOiFrHeOtN4afXuFuZKjgoboIqT_FDeZAfpexaNZlTUBmYbe6NSZ9Fzaj9RHmuF_JApRoCtYKLLhVwetZl_AkUbBW5TGH56NnqryGHxarot0qrB8yT2-R56AzbgQU/s1600/IMG_0621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrlf8hX792idD9anOiFrHeOtN4afXuFuZKjgoboIqT_FDeZAfpexaNZlTUBmYbe6NSZ9Fzaj9RHmuF_JApRoCtYKLLhVwetZl_AkUbBW5TGH56NnqryGHxarot0qrB8yT2-R56AzbgQU/s320/IMG_0621.jpg" width="240" /></a> <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So that’s our story of our baby girl who was almost born in
the car and we are so very happy and so much in love with our Lucia Anna.<br />
<br />
<br /> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>Maria CGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214905707555133611noreply@blogger.com0